


Coming Back King

by HAR1N



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Abuse, Alpha Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun, Alpha Lee Jeno, Alpha Mark Lee (NCT), Alpha Moon Taeil, Alpha Qian Kun, Alpha Suh Youngho | Johnny, Alpha Wong Kun Hang | Hendery, Alpha Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Angst, Angst and Feels, Blood and Violence, Derogatory Language, Domestic Violence, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Explicit Language, Heavy Angst, Hybrids, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Sex, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kun and Ten are cruel, M/M, Minor Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Miscarriage, More tags to be added, Omega Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten, Omega Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung, Omega Kim Jungwoo (NCT), Omega Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Omega Lee Taeyong, Other Fandoms Not Mentioned in Tags, Past Abuse, Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Violence, They're all hybrids, Threats of Violence, Verbal Abuse, Violence, again makes sense later, it makes sense once you read it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:02:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 37,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22962844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HAR1N/pseuds/HAR1N
Summary: Youngho and Taeyong have tried for so long to have a son of their own, and when it finally happens, a year after they've married, they feel so lucky.who knew that would be the last good thing the world would have done for them.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Qian Kun, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, Lee Taeyong/Suh Youngho | Johnny
Comments: 48
Kudos: 244





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hi there! i'm here with another fic that i hopefully won't lose motivation for within a few weeks!! i hope you guys enjoy this as much as you have my other stories, and please leave feedback as it encourages me greatly to continue!!

The day that Minhyung Suh was born was a day worth celebrating for the kingdom, for he was one of the king’s only children that had survived labor.

A celebration was held that night after Youngho, the king, had settled his husband into bed with their precious and healthy pup. The people were ecstatic that their kings finally gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and spent the night drinking and dancing and mingling in the gardens of the palace.

Youngho was finally able to feel proud of himself. After many failed attempts, he finally had a son. He finally gave his husband, Taeyong, what he had wanted for so, so long.

Youngho almost didn’t want to leave his husbands side, too engrossed in how his beautiful mate glowed as he stared down at the child in his arms, but he knew he had to when one of their servants, Hansol, had knocked against the door.

“Mr. Suh?” the fox hybrid calls, and both Youngho and Taeyong look up, but only Youngho hums in reply, “Mr. Moon would like to see you in the throne room.”

Youngho sighed softly through his nose, his gray ears folding back against his skull as he looks back at his pup, “Thank you, Hansol, let him know i’ll be a few minutes, will you?”

“Yes, sir,” Hansol says, and bows at a perfect ninety degrees, before he leaves the doorway, letting the door shut gently behind him.

Youngho raises his gaze from Minhyung’s ears on his head, gray and sharp much like his own with a tint of red at the tips to show he was indeed Taeyong’s son as well, and forces himself to meet his husband’s gaze. He watches as Taeyong’s big eyes flick around his face, “Do you need to go see him? Can’t you stay here with me?”

“I won’t be long my love,” Youngho says, leaning forward to press a kiss against his mate’s cheek, “i promise, after i meet with him and greet our people, i’m all yours, alright?”

That seemed to have satisfied Taeyong enough since he nods a few seconds later as he presses a chaste kiss against the corner of Youngho’s lips, before he’s settling back against the pillows, cradling Minhyung closer to his chest as the pup continued to gently suckle on Taeyong’s breast.

Youngho leaves the room just a moment later, already missing his mate once he allows the bedroom door to close behind him.

The wolf walks through the quiet hallways, feeling himself smile when he passes the gardens, where he can hear the sound of the kingdom’s citizens having fun still.

He pushes the door open to the throne room when he’s there, and steps inside, in time to see a familiar face sit down on one of the many chairs within the room.

“Taeil, wonderful seeing you here tonight,” Youngho says, catching the male’s attention easily, “i appreciate you being here for the birth of my son.”

“Please, i wouldn’t miss this for the world, Youngho,” Taeil says, standing up from his chair and walking over to the king, “Your son’s birth was a blessing to us, after all.”

“It is, Taeyong is so happy that he has a son of his own now, Taeil, you don’t understand how happy he is,” Youngho says, walking past his old friend to go and sit on one of the chairs, Taeil sitting on one next to him, “his first two miscarriages took so much of a toll on his well being, i.. I never want to see him that upset ever again,” the wolf adds on, and the lynx hybrid beside him hums softly, giving Youngho’s shoulder a squeeze.

“He never will be, Youngho,” Taeil starts, and the king looks back at him with a soft smile, “he has you and Minhyung now, he’s as happy as he ever could be.”

“I hope that’s true,” Youngho says, leaning back in his chair as he allows a sigh to escape his lips, before the door opens.

“Your majesty, the people are awaiting your arrival, they’re getting a little too excited,” Hansol’s voice rings through the room, and Taeil and Youngho turn to look at him, before the wolf turns to look at his friend once more.

“Will you come with me? I fear I may look like a mess in front of my people if i don’t have anyone next to me,” Youngho asks, and Taeil chuckles before nodding, and they both get up to follow the blonde servant out and towards the garden.

***

Youngho addressed the people successfully with Taeil by his side, and now that the older male had left, and the people know about Taeyong’s condition, he felt satisfied as he walked back towards his and Taeyong’s room.

“Sire,” a voice caught Youngho’s attention, and the king turned his head to see his advisor rushing to catch up to him, his long ears turned to rest against the back of his skull, “finally, i was able to get your attention.”

“Hello to you too, Doyoung, is something the matter?” Youngho found himself asking, already feeling some tension gathering in his shoulders.

“No, no, nothing’s wrong your majesty,” the hare shook his head, ears shooting up when he realizes how nervous the king had become in the past few seconds, “i just wanted to see how you were doing, and if there was anything you wanted me to do.”

Youngho relaxed at his advisor’s words, “don’t scare me like that again, Kim,” he said, though he was smiling as he did, “and no, i don’t think there’s much else you can do tonight, take the rest of it off and have some fun okay?”

“Yes, sire,” Doyoung responds with a smile, before it fades, “um, your majesty? Was your brother up here today? I hadn’t seen him with the townspeople like I usually do..”

Youngho furrows his brows as he glances out the window nearby.

He actually doesn’t remember seeing his brother at all tonight, which bothered him to no end the longer he thought about it.

His brother was supposed to be there for him and his husband, not off doing god knows what.

He stops walking just as he reached his chamber door, debating if he’s willing to make Taeyong wait just a bit longer only to find his feet moving on their own in the direction of the lower levels of the palace, where his brother had decided to stay, Doyoung following hot on his heels.

“I’m guessing he wasn’t up here then,” Doyoung said, and he sighs when Youngho only shakes his head.

Only the torches lit their way as they stepped down the stairway and as they walked down the long hallway that was stripped empty, save for the few paintings leaning against the wall with ripped sheets covering them.

they approached the dark wooden door with caution, and Youngho found himself thinking that maybe he should turn away, but he’s tapping a knuckle against the wood without a second thought, the door opening just a moment later to reveal half of his brother’s face, the chain keeping the door from being opened all the way.

“Oh, Youngho, lovely seeing you down here,” his brother said, voice low and gravely as he spoke through the crack in the door, before his gaze moved to look at the hare standing behind him, “oh, you too, Doyoung.”

“You mind if we come in for a bit, Kun? I’d like to talk for a moment,” Youngho says, expression impassive as he stares at the bit of his brother’s face that he could see.

It’s barely there, but he notices the slight grimace that tugs at the corner of Kun’s face before he closes the door to undo the chain and opens it once more for his brother and the advisor to step into the room.

Youngho watches as the light of the few torches behind him lit up Kun’s face, allowing him to get a full view of the scar that ran along it, from his left temple, down to the right corner of his lips. 

“Talk about what exactly?” Kun already seemed bored as he spoke, and Youngho ripped his gaze away from his brother’s face as he walked into the room, Doyoung standing next to the wall by the door with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Where were you?” Youngho asks, turning to look at the blonde wolf,”Where were you when me and Taeyong announced the birth of our son?”

“Son?” Kun raises a brow, shutting the door, before he makes a soft noise of realization, though he still doesn’t seem interested, “so that was today? Must have slipped my mind. Of course, I don't mean any disrespect towards your majesty or Taeyong.”

Doyoung watches as the younger brother shifts his weight on his feet.

“As you know, i have,” Kun paused as he glanced away from his brother and towards the other hybrid in the room, “tremendous respect for the king.”

His brother and Doyoung both knew he met Taeyong.

“As the king’s brother, you should’ve been first in line-” Doyoung starts, only to gasp as he crowded against the wall, Kun’s face mere centimeters from his own.

“I /was/ first in line,” the wolf snarls, making Doyoung shudder against the wall as he shields his face from Kun’s petrifying, glowing yellow gaze.

Kun pulls away, satisfied with the reaction he’s gotten, before turning back to look at Youngho with distaste in his eyes once more - Youngho returns the look, “that is, until the young prince came along,” he adds on, turning to walk over to the desk in the corner of his room, putting distance between himself and the other wolf in the room.

“Don’t turn your back to me, Kun.”

“No, no, Youngho, it’s you who shouldn’t turn your back to /me/.” Kun says, venom laced in his tone.

Kun can hear the growl that Youngho lets out, before a hand is grabbing his shoulder and he’s turned around, facing his brother’s anger filled eyes, his irises glowing the same yellow that Kun’s had just a moment before.

“Is that a challenge?” Youngho growls, and Kun feels his ears flatten against the back of his head, nose scrunching slightly as he resists the urge to return the growl.

“Please, i wouldn’t dream of challenging you,” Kun spits, and Youngho notices the flicker of emotion in Kun’s eyes as he parts his lips, “again,” his voice is barely above a whisper, and Youngho finds his gaze tracing the scar across his brother’s face once more.

“A wise decision,” Youngho steps away to allow Kun to look at Doyoung, “You are of no match for his majesty,” The hare adds on, still shaking in place from Kun snarling at him only moments before.

“As far as brains go, i have the wolf’s share,” Kun says, before he’s looking towards the king once more, “But when it comes to brute strength, i’m afraid my big brother will always rule,” he says and steps away from Youngho, putting some distance between them once more.

“Not always,” Youngho says, and Kun is glaring at him once more, ”One day my son will be your king, Minhyung will rule over you,” he adds on before walking towards the door.

Kun is silent as both he and Doyoung leave the room, before he speaks, “Then long live the king.”

Youngho hears the door close behind him, the chain lock being put back up, before he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers.

“What am I going to do with him?” he says as he and Doyoung start back towards the stairway.

“In my honest opinion, sire, i believe he should’ve been banished from the kingdom years ago,” Doyoung says, and Youngho shakes his head.

“He’s my brother, Doyoung, I can't even begin to imagine leaving him out there to fend for himself. Besides, this is his home and as long as I am king, that won’t change.”

***

It was just before the sun was supposed to rise when the door to the kings’ chamber was pushed open, and socked feet of a 15 year old stepped into the room.

The boy watched as the lumps on the bed slowly moved, up and down as the two bodies below the blanket slept, and he had to resist the urge to let out a little giggle as he pushed the door closed.

He crept over to the bed, and peered up over the edge where he can see his father’s grey ears twitch slightly from above the blanket, and he freezes.

His father had impeccable hearing, so he had to be quiet until the last moment.

He steps over to the side of the bed that his father lay, and grabs onto the sheets as he pulls himself up, and once he’s stable and is sure he isn’t gonna fall, he grins as he flops down on the larger body laying on the bed.

Youngho lets out a groan at the weight, letting out a small “you're too big, Minhyung” as the young wolf continues trying to lift him up off the bed.

“Dad!” Minhyung yells, causing the male under him to let out a soft grunt as the younger wolf hops and bounces on his back, “dad, wake up!” he yells again, frowning when his father doesn’t budge and there’s a slight pause when Youngho believes his child had given up, before he feels his son’s weight shift again and he feels two hands and knees digging into his bare back, “dad, dad, dad, dad!”

His mother grinned against his pillow, popping open an eye to look at his distressed husband and the small boy jumping on top of him, “your son is awake,” Taeyong says, eyes sparkling as Youngho remains in place.

“Before sunrise, he's your son,” Youngho says, shifting slightly so that Minhyung rolls onto the bed next to him.

The little wolf giggles when his mother’s arm wraps around him and pulls him close, pressing a soft kiss against his hair.

“Come on, dad, get up, you promised that i could patrol the forest with you today,” Minhyung says as his mother lets go of him, and he's sitting up once more to shake his dad’s arm in hopes of him getting up.

Youngho sighs, grinning into his arm before he opens his eyes to look at his son, seeing the big puppy eyes that still melt his heart, “We need to get dressed first Minhyung, we aren’t stepping foot out of here in our pajamas,” he says, and watches as Minhyung’s eyes sparkle when the sunlight begins to stream in through the curtains.

Minhyung cheers as he runs back to his room, leaving their door open ajar in his excitement.

“Why did he have to be an early riser?” Youngho says as he pushes himself off the bed and walks over to the closet.

He hears a giggle, and he turns his head to look at his mate sitting up in bed, allowing the blanket to slide off of him and reveal the silk nightgown he was wearing, “remind you of someone, Youngho?”

Youngho finds himself smiling, a soft chuckle leaving him as he turns back to the closet, “unfortunately, he does.”

***

Youngho meets his son at the top of the main staircase, and Minhyung immediately goes to his father’s side, excitement glittering in his eyes.

“So, what are we doing today, dad? Going on a hunt? Chasing out bad guys?” Youngho smiles when his son throws a few punches into the air, barely tripping over his feet because of how eager he is.

Minhyung grabs onto his father’s hand when the king holds it out for him.

Minhyung follows as his father starts walking, only tilting his head when his father doesn’t take him towards the main doors, but instead up to the higher levels of the palace.

“Dad? Mom says i’m not allowed up past the second floor,” Minhyung warns as Youngho leads him onto the roof where a small balcony was that let them overlook the entire kingdom.

“Look, my son,” Youngho says, resting his hands on the balcony railing while Minhyung followed his gaze, leaning against the balcony just as his father was, “what do you see?”

Minhyung is silent for a moment, letting his gaze travel over the palace gardens, before moving towards the town around the palace where people walked around and talked, children played, before finally looking farther where the forest was.

“Our kingdom, why?”

“Do you know how big our kingdom is, son?” Youngho looks down at the young wolf while Minhyung returns his gaze and shakes his head, “Our kingdom ends where it is no longer green, Minhyung, remember that.”

“That’s a lot of land.. That belongs to us, dad?”

“It doesn’t… belong to us, really, but it is ours to protect. I will protect it for as long as I am king, and then it will be your turn to protect it when I'm gone.”

Minhyung stares out at the wide area of green, before his gaze settles on where the forest ends, and he pouts slightly, “What about the area beyond the forest, dad? What lays past there?”

“Bad things my son,” Youngho says, before kneeling down next to the young prince, placing his hands on Minhyung’s shoulders.

“Bad things?” Minhyung tilts his head, one of his ears flopping over to voice his confusion even more.

“Yes, Minhyung,” Youngho says, and with a gentle squeeze of his hands, he continues, “it’s a place where no young prince should venture into, do you understand?”

Minhyung can see the slight bit of fear in his father’s eyes as he stares back, and he nods quickly when he feels his father’s hands tremble where they rested on his shoulders, “yes, dad, i understand.”

“Good boy,” Youngho says, the tension leaving his body as he smiles gently.

The smile leaves his face when the door is pushed open, and Youngho looks over from where he’s kneeled, furrowing his brows when he sees Doyoung leaning against the door frame.

“Sire, Jaguars are in the forest,” Doyoung manages between heavy breaths. It seemed he ran up here when he heard the news.

“Where’s Taeyong?” Youngho asks, standing up.

“Gathering up the guards,” Doyoung answers, pushing himself to stand up right, “He’s gonna lead them out.”

“Doyoung, take Minhyung to his room,” Youngho says, and Minhyung pulls at his sleeve in protest.

“Wait, dad, let me come,” he says and Youngho shakes his head, pushing the pup towards Doyoung.

“No way, you’re staying inside the palace walls,” Youngho says, and he brushes past the both of them as he rushes down the stairs.

“But i could help,” Minhyung tries to chase after his father, but Doyoung manages to grab his arm.

The wolf looks up at the hare, frowning slightly.

“Come along,” Doyoung says, as he starts walking with Minhyung following him, “let’s get you to your room.”

Doyoung walked the young prince until they were in the hallway where Minhyung’s room was, with a soft nudge against his arm, Doyoung lets him go, “Go to your room for now, Minhyung, your parents will be back soon,” he says, before he leaves the prince’s side.

Minhyung sighs, and is about to listen to the advisor, when a blue butterfly floats in through one of the many open windows in the hallway. His short attention span was never good to him he realizes as he watches the insect fly around him.

Minhyung’s eyes sparkle as he stares at the butterfly, and he only glanced behind himself once before he’s grinning, rushing to catch up to the butterfly, hopping after it, uncaring of the servants he passes.

He keeps hopping after it before it floats through a gap in the door of the throne room, and he pushes his way inside, looking around eagerly for the insect and where it may have gone, before spotting it and jumping after it once more as a giggle leaves him.

“If you wanna catch something, at least wait until you’re able to shift,” a voice says, and it has Minhyung stopping in his tracks, turning his head until he sees his uncle standing beside the large window on the opposite side of the throne room.

“I know how to catch things, uncle Kun, i don’t need to shift yet,” Minhyung says, glancing back at where the butterfly last was, before skipping over to the older wolf in the room.

“I don’t see why catching butterflies is so fun to you though,” Kun mutters, before looking down at the young boy when he stops beside him. Kun resists the urge to roll his eyes. “Go to your room, Minhyung, I don't babysit.”

“Babysit? I’m not a baby,” Minhyung refutes, pulling himself up to sit on the windowsill, “I’m gonna be the king of Greenwood soon, my father took me up to the roof to look over the kingdom earlier and said i’m gonna rule it all.”

“Is that so?” Kun says with a raised brow, watching the young wolf through his peripheral.

“Think about it, when i’m king, i’ll have to give you orders, uncle Kun,” Minhyung says, and looks up at the older wolf, “How weird is that?”

“You have no idea,” Kun says, ignoring how his nails dig into his own arm where he has them crossed over his chest.

He turns his attention away from the prince, back out the window and allows his eyes to land on the area beyond the trees, and he finds himself subtly smirking.

“Did he show you what’s beyond the forest yet?”

Minhyung frowns slightly, shaking his head, “No, he says i can’t go there ever,” the young wolf pouts.

“And he’s absolutely right. A graveyard is no place for a young pup such as yourself,” Kun says, turning to walk away.

“A graveyard? Really?” Minhyung’s voice held shock, and Kun kept his back towards the prince so he wouldn't see the smile on his face.

“Oh dear, it appears i’ve said too much, haven’t i?” Kun hears the soft taps of Minhyung’s shoes trail behind him as he keeps walking, “well you would’ve found out sooner or later anyways with you becoming king soon.”

“Have you been there?”

“We’ve all been there, and it’s certainly no place for a pup,” Kun says and finally turns back to the little boy, seeing his tail wag behind him with interest, “with all those rotting bones and pools of boiling mud-”

“Rotting bones? Boiling mud?” Minhyung's voice keeps rising as more curiosity fills his system.

“Promise me you won’t step foot into the graveyard, Minhyung,” Kun says, and he’s glad that Minhyung is still a bit naive when the young boy nods, “now run along, i’m sure your little friend is waiting for you somewhere in the castle.”

Minhyung seems like he wants to say something but he changes his mind and heads back towards the door.

“And remember, Minhyung,” Kun’s voice bounces off the walls of the room slightly as the prince turns back to him, “it’s our little secret, alright?”

Minhyung nods, before he leaves the room finally, and Kun lets the smirk crawl across his face as soon as the door shuts behind the prince.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the update schedule for this fic is gonna be random so i wouldn't expect constant updates :3 i hope yall enjoy this chapter though

After his talk with his uncle, Minhyung found himself staring out the windows in the hallway, out where the forest ended and where the graveyard apparently began.

His curiosity was getting the best of him, so you can’t blame him when he rushes towards the living area of the palace, where he sees his mother sitting down on one of the chairs in the room, across from a few of his friends.

His eyes immediately train on one of the younger wolves in the room, smile widening when he sees familiar silver hair.

“Donghyuck! Come on, we gotta go,” Minhyung exclaims, grabbing the young arctic wolf’s hand and attempting to pull the pup away from his mother, Jungwoo.

“What? Go where?” Donghyuck starts, sort of pouting when his mother’s hands fall from where they were fixing his hair.

“The edge of the village!” Minhyung says, only to huff when Jungwoo pulls his son back.

“Not now, Minhyung, his hair is a mess,” Jungwoo’s soft voice causes Minhyung to look up at the older arctic wolf, sort of deflating upon seeing the stern look in his eyes, partially covered with similar silver strands of hair, like the ones on Donghyuck’s head.

“Speaking of hair, yours is a mess,” Taeyong’s voice reaches his ears, and Minhyung can’t even attempt to move away before his mother’s hands are pulling him, “did you really believe you were going to leave the castle looking like this?”

Minhyung lets out a soft growl when Taeyong’s fingers start brushing through his hair, attempting to rid it of knots, “mom, you’re gonna mess up the fur on my ears.”

“Oh hush, you sound just like your father,” Taeyong says, brows furrowing as Minhyung pulls away, putting a few feet of distance between him and his mother.

“Look, I can do it myself,” Minhyung pauses to brush his hair down against his head, fixing the fur on his ears as he does, “see? All better, now can we go?” he asks, momentarily glancing over at Donghyuck and Jungwoo as he does.

“There’s no more jaguars out there, you guys chased them off,” he says as another attempt to get his mother to let them go.

Taeyong shares a quick glance with Jungwoo and the other wolf hybrids in the room, before he sighs, “fine, just to the end of the village and no further, do you understand? 

“Yes, mom,” Minhyung says, and starts pulling Donghyuck towards the door.

“And one more thing,” his mother’s voice says just as he opens the door, “Doyoung will be accompanying you.”

“Doyoung?” both Minhyung and Donghyuck say in unison, looking back at the elder wolves as they do.

“Either he goes, or you don’t,” Taeyong says, and Jungwoo nods in agreement.

Minhyung huffs, before nodding, “fine,” he mutters, before he and Donghyuck leave the room to look for the advisor.

***

“Come along, no straggling,” Doyoung says, both hands placed firmly on both backs of the 15 year old and 14 year old.

The village was crowded when they got there, so they had to stay close together as they walked through it, trying to avoid having their feet or tails stepped on while they did.

“So,” Donghyuck’s voice pulls Minhyung from his thoughts, and he’s barely able to hear the next words as the crowd of voices continues to surround them, “Where are we really going?”

Minhyung stops in place for a moment, before Doyoung is nudging him forward again, “how did you know?”

“You hate hanging around the village.” Donghyuck says knowingly, a smile on his lips.

Minhyung huffs slightly, before glancing up at Doyoung then back at the arctic wolf beside him, “i heard about this place, and i heard that it’s the most incredible, amazing-”

Donghyuck punches his arm lightly, making both wolves giggle, “just tell me where we’re going.”

“A graveyard,” Minhyung says, under his breath so that Donghyuck was the only one who could possibly hear them.

“Woah, really?” Donghyuck says, intrigued, “how far is it?”

“Not far, just beyond the forest,” Minhyung says, glancing in the direction where green trees stood tall, “but don’t worry, everyone’s been there.”

“We’ve never been that far though, Minhyung,” Donghyuck starts, looking down at his feet, “i don’t know, what if we get lost and no one can find us?”

“Relax, Hyuck, I saw the entire kingdom with my dad this morning, there’s nothing to worry about.” Minhyung says, grinning.

“Well, there is one thing to worry about,” Donghyuck says, before looking behind himself where Doyoung was still walking, now more distracted by the few things some of the street merchants were selling, ”how are we gonna get rid of the rabbit?”

Minhyung is quiet for a moment, before his ears perk forward, “trust me on this, i might have an idea.”

Minhyung and Donghyuck stray over where there isn’t much of a crowd in front of a merchant who had small figurines on display, Doyoung trails behind them.

“It’s so lovely seeing our future kings together like this,” Doyoung starts, and both Minhyung and Donghyuck look up at him, confusion in their eyes.

“Sorry, future kings?” Minhyung furrows his brows.

“Well, of course,” Doyoung says as the three of them continue walking once more, “one day when you’re both older, you two will be betrothed, intended, affianced, if you will,” he says, arms crossing over his chest.

Minhyung and Donghyuck stare at him, one ear on each of their heads flopping over to show their confusion.

“Minhyung, do you speak rabbit?”

Doyoung only rolls his eyes, “i mean one day you’re both going to be married,” he says, and when he sees they both still don’t seem to understand, he sighs, “to each other.”

“Ew!” both pups exclaim, and Doyoung’s ears turn away from the two at the loud sound.

Minhyung is the first to shake his head, “nuh-uh, that’s not gonna happen, Doyoung.”

“Never ever,” Donghyuck says, crossing his arms.

“Donghyuck is my best friend, there’s no way i’m marrying him,” Minhyung says and he and Donghyuck start walking away from the hare once more.

“Someone who goes against tradition, and has an attitude like that, i’m afraid you’re going to be a pretty pathetic king,” Doyoung says and follows after the two youngsters.

“Either way, i’m not gonna let anyone tell me where to go, what to do, or even who to marry,” Minhyung says, not looking back at the hare, “there will never be a king like me,” he says, straightening his posture as he walks.

“Minhyung, you can’t avoid tradition,” Doyoung attempts, and Minhyung finally looks back at him.

“Just watch me,” Minhyung says, a determined grin crossing his face before he grabs Donghyuck’s hand and disappears behind a few hybrids that walked by them.

“Wha- Minhyung! Donghyuck!” Doyoung’s voice shouts after them as they run and hide behind the people of the village as they make their way towards the forest.

“Are you sure we’ll lose him this way?” Donghyuck says just as he and Minhyung duck behind a tree.

“I’m sure it will, his senses aren’t as good as our own,” Minhyung says, peering around a tree just in time to see Doyoung disappear in the crowd, still shouting the two pups’ names.

“Come on, he definitely won’t be able to find us,” Minhyung says, grabbing Donghyuck’s hand once more and rushing further into the forest.

They’ve been running a while when the edge of the forest comes into sight, and the first thing they see is large rock mountains, piles of bones laying about the area as well.

“Woah,” Minhyung says in amazement as he walks closer, “this has to be it,” he says, before he grabs Donghyuck’s hand and pulls him along, “come on!”

They stop when they see small pools of mud start scattering around the area.

“Minhyung, we’re way beyond the kingdom grounds-”

“We found it, Hyuckie, you know what this means?” Minhyung says, stepping around the bones laying on the ground.

“Does it mean we can go home?” Donghyuck says, glancing around as goosebumps begin to cover his skin.

“It means they won’t treat us like pups anymore,” Minhyung corrects him, and Donghyuck sighs as they both keep walking.

They step closer to a wide gap between one of the rock mountains, where it seemed empty.

Donghyuck was cautious with every step, and seemed to jump at every little sound. He lets out a slight yelp when pebbles fall from the ledge above him, and hesitantly, he looks up, swallowing the saliva that built up in his mouth.

There’s nothing up there that he can see, so he hurries to catch up with Minhyung, who didn’t seem to notice that he stopped walking.

Donghyuck watches as Minhyung goes over to a small ledge where a cave sat above it, and without warning, starts climbing it.

“Minnie, get down from there, it could be dangerous-”

“Danger?” Minhyung lets out a laugh, “i laugh in the face of danger,” he says, a confident grin on his face as he laughs again, only stopping when his voice echoes behind him, “cool! Hey Hyuckie do you hear that?”

Minhyung looks back at the younger wolf, whose ears were turned back against his head.

“Minhyung, let’s go, i get it you’re brave, now can we please go back to the village before the sun goes down-” Donghyuck stops when he hears low chuckles echo around them, and he whimpers slightly as Minhyung rushes to his side.

Their heads are kept on a swivel as they watch shadowed figures step out from behind the rocks, before Minhyung’s ears turn back, “Jaguars..” he whispers, and Donghyuck’s hands grip at his arm.

“Well, well, look what we have here,” one of the jaguars say, “two little pups wandering in our territory,” he continues, “we weren’t expecting guests today.”

Minhyung feels his hands shake when the jaguar licks his lips.

“Would you two pups like to stay for dinner?” he asks, now stepping dangerously close to the young pups.

Another jaguar jumps closer, bumping the first one away slightly, “yeah, you two should stay for dinner cause you're both looking rather delicious,” he says, growling low in the back of his throat, before the first jaguar bites at his shoulder.

“Can I get some space, Jeno?” the first one hisses, and the second jaguar -Jeno, the pups now know- cowers slightly.

“I was just helping.”

“We’ve talked about this before, i come in alone, i am the lead distraction so everyone else can circle, got it?”

“Okay, okay sorry, Jae” Jeno apologizes, sitting on his haunches to scratch behind his ear.

“Don’t apologize just do it-” ‘jae’ stops talking when a young man enters the scene.

“Now this is something i’ve waited my whole life for,” Minhyung and Donghyuck turn to see the man leaning against the rocks, spotted ears resting upon his head while a matching tail swayed behind his legs.

The clothes he had on weren’t in the best condition, the pups notice, and the dirt and grime that covered his face did nothing to hide the mischief lingering in his gaze.

“What an unexpected treat to eat the son of the king,” the man says, baring his sharp teeth.

“Wait, son of the king? As in you know who that rules over you know where?” Jeno asks, as he looks between the two pups.

“Youngho does not rule over me,” The man says, and Minhyung watches as the male shifts, bones breaking and cracking before molding and mending back together as spotted fur covers his body, “this is my territory, not his.”

“You- you can’t do anything to me, cause- cause i'm the future king,” Minhyung attempts to be brave, though his voice betrays him, and it causes the jaguars to fall into a fit of laughter.

“Can you believe him? He’s telling me what to do,” the jaguar that seemed to be the leader stalks towards Minhyung, eyes glowing with anger as he circles the pups, “his father’s strength is still flickering inside.”

The jaguar stops in front of Minhyung, only a few feet of distance between them, “I wonder how that bravery will taste.”

He looks as if he’s about to pounce, before a brown rabbit hops in front of the pups, stopping him in his tracks.

“Yongqin wait! They made a mistake, a horrible mistake!” a familiar voice exclaims, and Minhyung realizes it’s Doyoung after a few moments, “but just know that if you do this, you will be starting war with Youngho!”

“Jaguars and wolves have been at war for as long as i remember,” the lead jaguar, Yongqin, bares his teeth at the hare, before looking back at the pups, “but Youngho’s bloodline will end here!” he roars, only for Doyoung to slam his little body against his head, pushing him aside.

“Run! Get away, Minhyung!” Doyoung shouts, and Minhyung reacts without a second thought, grabbing onto Donghyuck’s hand before pulling him out of there, narrowly avoiding the jaguars that pounced at them.

“Don’t let them get away!” Yongqin growls once Doyoung had dashed off, hoping to find the pups before the jaguars do.

Minhyung has no idea how he’s doing it, but he manages to evade most of the jaguars, with Donghyuck barely being able to keep up.

“Hyuckie, come on!” he exclaims, pulling his friend with him as they rush out from the gap in the mountains they had entered earlier, only stopping when they see the crowd of jaguars that circled the area, and Minhyung notices Yongqin step onto one of the higher ledges.

They growled, and hissed as they circled closer, and Minhyung heard his heart begin to beat loudly in his ears.

A few of the jaguars began to laugh and chuckle at the sad display.

“You see this? This is supposed to be the new king?” Jeno laughed teasingly, “is this really Youngho’s kid?”

Minhyung feels tears strike the corners of his eyes, before a few howls break the air, ones that Minhyung knows well.

He sees, just above the Jaguars’ heads where a grey wolf, a brown wolf, and a white wolf were shoving the jaguars aside, biting into their necks and backs, wherever they could reach as growls and barks left them.

Minhyung noticed the jaguars that they knocked down had shifted back, sounds of bones cracking and molding together once more quietly filling the air alongside the pissed off sounds that left the wolves.

Minhyung and Donghyuck could see the two they met earlier - Jeno and Jae - tossed off to the side, now human as they lay ontop of each other.

They chased the jaguars back as they drew closer to the pups, and Yongqin took a step away from the three wolves.

Minhyung watches as the gray wolf, the biggest one, stepped up to Yongqin, baring his teeth as he speaks, “if you ever come near my son again,” he starts, only to be cut off.

“Never Youngho,” Yongqin reluctantly bowed his head, “never again.”

“You have been warned, Yongqin.” Youngho says, before turning, only to stop, and look back, meeting Minhyung’s tearful gaze.

The wolf turns away once Minhyung appeared to understand the silent words given, before walking off.

Minhyung only starts moving when there’s a gentle nudge against his back, and his mother’s voice reaches his ears.

“Come along, follow your father,” Taeyong says quietly, while Donghyuck walks beside the white wolf which Minhyung knows is Jungwoo.

***

They were halfway through the forest, and by now, the three wolves have shifted back, and Minhyung can clearly see the disappointment in their faces.

“Doyoung,” Youngho says, stopping in his tracks.

“Yes sire?” the hare says, dusting off his clothes before looking up at the king.

“Please take Jungwoo and Donghyuck back to the palace.”

Doyoung looks between Minhyung and Taeyong, before moving to stand next to Youngho.

“Don’t be too harsh on him, sire,” Doyoung says, crossing his hands behind his back, “i knew of a young pup who was just like him once.”

“He needs to learn, Doyoung,” Youngho says, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers, “Me and Taeyong are just going to talk to him.”

Doyoung doesn’t say much more to the king, and he turns to walk away, leading Jungwoo and Donghyuck back to the palace as instructed.

Once the three are gone, Minhyung leaves his mother’s side, going up to his father, “dad, i-i’m sorry, i-”

“You deliberately disobeyed me, Minhyung,” Youngho says, voice filled with disappointment, “i told you not to go out there and you didn’t listen.”

“I..” Minhyung’s bottom lip wobbles as his mother’s arms wrap around his shoulders, “I just wanted to be brave like you.. I-i wanted to show that i-i wasn’t some useless pup...”

“Minhyung,” Taeyong says softly as Minhyung looks down at the ground, “you are brave, sweetheart, you’re not useless.”

“But I am useless, and I'm not brave!” Minhyung exclaims, tears sliding down his cheeks, “i-i was so scared, i-i couldn’t even try to make Hyuckie feel better!” his hands come up, rubbing at his eyes as he sobs, “i was too much of a wimp to try and keep my friend safe!”

Taeyong looked up at his husband, who was doing everything in his power not to falter under his mate’s hard stare.

“I’m not fit to be a king if i get too scared to protect my friend,” Minhyung cries into his hands, rubbing at his eyes until they’re burning, and he keeps crying even when he’s pulled into a gentle hug, his head being led to rest on a broad shoulder.

“Minnie,” his father’s voice is soft, “kings can be scared sometimes, they're allowed to be scared,” he says, and Minhyung feels his tears slow down.

“Bu- but you're never scared, neither is mom,” Minhyung’s voice shakes, rubbing his nose against the fabric of his dad’s shirt (he’ll apologize for the mess of snot and tears he leaves on it later).

Youngho is quiet for a moment, and he raises his gaze up to look at where Taeyong is standing, arms crossed over his chest, fear still swirling in his mate’s eyes as he stares down at his son who is slowly starting to calm down from his crying fit.

“We were today, Minhyung,” Youngho says, not breaking eye contact with Taeyong until Minhyung begins to pull away from his shoulder.

Youngho feels his heart break when he sees how red his son's face is, how tearstained his cheeks were and how his nose was runny. His eyes were red and puffy from how much he was rubbing them and he wouldn’t stop sniffling as his father’s hands stayed perched on his still shaking shoulders.

“You-you were?” Minhyung stutters, staring at his father with glossy eyes, small hands now fisted into the fabric of Youngho’s shirt.

“Of course we were,” Youngho says, managing to keep his voice from shaking as he moves his hands up to cup his son’s face, using his thumbs to wipe away the remnants of tears on his cheeks, “we were so afraid that we would lose our son.”

Minhyung blinks rapidly to keep newfound tears at bay, and he turns his head briefly to look up at his mother, bottom lip beginning to wobble again as he notices how scared his mother looks.

“i-i’m sorry, really i am, i-i didn’t mean to scare the both of you so much i just-”

“You just wanted to be like your father, baby,” Taeyong says, moving to kneel down next to Youngho to face his son, and it’s only now that Minhyung notices the tear streaks on his mother’s face, “don’t apologize anymore, okay? You didn’t mean to do that, we know, you were just curious.”

Youngho looks like he’s about to speak up as the words leave his mate’s lips, but then Taeyong is sending a soft glare his way, and Youngho’s mouth closes.

“Let’s just go home, okay?” Taeyong says, wiping his hands over his cheeks slightly to get rid of the tears, “it’s late and you need a bath.”

Though Minhyung despises the idea of a bath now when his body feels so tired suddenly, he nods, and both his parents stand up just as the sun vanishes over the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> twitter: @SADISTKVN


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for taking so long to get this chapter up!! my computer has been acting stupid lately and keeps shutting off randomly so it may take a while longer to get updates out for you guys :( please be patient with me though!! <<<<3

It was dark in the graveyard, the only light coming from the moon hanging high over the jaguars that stayed within the rock mountains.

Jaehyun had laid himself out on one of the rocks, resting his hands under his head. It wasn’t comfortable, but when was it ever?

Ever since Youngho had banished them out here into the plains where hardly any plants grew and animals roamed, they hadn’t lived in comfort for years.

Most have grown used to it though, and Jaehyun was one of them unfortunately.

“Dude, Youngho is /strong/. Especially with those two wolves he brought with him,” Jeno’s voice drags Jaehyun out of his half asleep state, making him roll onto his side, away from the younger jaguar hybrid. His tail frizzes up when jeno sits on the rock he was on, leaning against his back.

“Dude seriously?” Jaehyun growls, and Jeno looks back at him, ears turning back against his head.

“What?” 

“Why are you in my space? There’s so many rocks in this cave, why choose mine?” Jaehyun says, before attempting to shove Jeno off, “I need some personal space, go away,” he growls.

Jeno scrunches his nose slightly, “alright alright sorry,” he says, and gets up, and Jaehyun is grateful for a moment when he’s able to roll onto his other side, only for his moment of glee to diminish when there’s a weight against his back once more.

“And you know what, you were great, you did amazing,” Jeno compliments, continuing to speak as though nothing was wrong, and Jaehyun rolls his eyes as he stands up from the rock.

“See, now i know you’re just trying to piss me off,” he says, starting to walk off, only for Jeno to get up and follow him.

“You have good energy, you know? Very brave, good posture,” Jeno says, clearly not seeing how annoyed the older was.

“Now you’re just being spiteful,” Jaehyun turns to him, anger swirling in his irises as he looks at the younger, “next time i see Youngho, i am going to teach him a lesson that he is never going to forget for as long as he lives.”

Jeno glances over Jaehyun’s shoulder, tilting his head, “Well you’re in luck, looks like you don't have to wait very long, cause there he is.”

Jaehyun turns his head so fast it’s amazing how his neck didn't break, “Youngho?” he calls.

They both fall silent as a gray wolf stalks towards them, stepping into the moonlight where a scar is revealed to cross over his face.

The wolf stops just as he shifts back into human, filling the rocky mountains with the echoing sound of breaking bones.

Jeno and Jaehyun watch a blonde male stand up from his hunched posture and they both relax upon seeing that it wasn’t who they were expecting.

Yongqin makes his way over towards Jeno and Jaehyun, arms crossing over his chest as he frowns at the wolf hybrid, “That’s not the king,” he says with a slight snarl, “Why are you here, Kun?”

“How is it that you halfwits were able to strip your land of every living plant, animal, and hybrid that lived on it within a week’s time, but yet i send you two measly little pups who had no capability of defending themselves out here and they show up at the castle alive and unharmed?” the wolf says, meeting Yongqin’s gaze easily.

“Guess you’ll just have to be the next thing on our menu then,” Jaehyun says a growl laced in with his voice.

“Please, I assure you, I don't taste very good.” Kun says, looking over at Jaehyun as he does, “besides, why eat just one meal, when you can be feasting for as long as you live?”

“What could you possibly offer us? As far as I know you have nothing to give,” Yongqin says and he watches as Kun moves forward to step into his space.

“I’m offering you a place where you can keep your bellies full, and your heads rested,” Kun says, moving back slightly to look at the pack of hybrids circling him, “a place where everything that is green can be yours to take.”

“Greenwood is not yours to give,” Yongqin reminds him, dragging Kun’s gaze back to him, “The king controls those hunting and living grounds and we’d never be able to set foot on them as long as he reigns.”

Kun licks his lips slightly as he leans in towards Yongqin’s ear, ignoring the growls from the jaguars around him, “that’s why we’re going to kill him, my dear,” he says, brushing past Yongqin entirely.

“Youngho has always been on too much of a restraint for those animals that live in the forests and the hybrids in those villages,” Kun says, moving to lean against one of the rocks, “but when i’m king, my kingdom will be free to do what they want, hunt as they please, kill whatever their heart desires.”

Yongqin steps up to the wolf again, ears trained against the back of his head, ”Youngho is far too powerful for us to take on, especially with Taeyong and Jungwoo at his side,” he says, and he recoils only slightly when Kun grabs his chin between his fingers.

“Youngho isn’t as powerful as you believe he is, darling,” Kun says, smirking, “he has an obvious weakness.”

“You mean the child?” Yongqin says, pushing Kun’s hand down and away from him, “and how do you plan on somehow using the kid against Youngho?”

Kun crosses his arms once again, never removing his gaze from the jaguar, “it’s as clear as day that he wants to keep his son away from danger, so I'll be taking him out into the gorge that lays on the south side of the kingdom.”

“And how will you convince the king to let you take his son?” 

“I can say that I'm taking him to teach him to learn how to shift,” Kun says easily, “he’s around the age where he’ll need to be taught so it won’t take much convincing.”

“And if it doesn’t work?” Yongqin says, brows furrowing when Kun wraps an arm around his waist, turning him to face the pack of jaguars.

“Don’t underestimate me, my love, I assure you, my brother doesn’t despise me that much,” Kun says as he starts walking, bringing Yongqin along with him.

“Times are changing everyone, be prepared for the fall of the king,” Kun says, and his voice echoes off the walls of the mountains, eliciting cheers and growls of enthusiasm, “my plan will not fail, i promise you that much.”

Yongqin stares at him, eyes narrowed, and when Kun meets his gaze, he speaks up, ”let’s hope it succeeds.”

***

It was early in the morning, maybe an hour or so after sunrise when Kun brings Minhyung to the gorge on the southside of the kingdom.

Minhyung held his hands out as he balanced on a fallen tree, silence thickening between them.

“You know,” Minhyung says, breaking the quiet, “my father is really upset with me.”

“I bet he is,” Kun says, subtly smirking as he glances around the gorge, eyeing the area, “which is why i’ve brought you here, i think i might know something that’ll help you make it up to him, a gift that will make him forget that your mistake had ever happened.”

“But he’s already king, what could I possibly give him?” Minhyung asks, looking up at the older wolf.

“Your howl.”

“My howl?”

“Yes,” Kun says, looking down at the young wolf, “this gorge, Minhyung, is where all wolves find their howl, and where they had shifted for the first time in their lives.”

“All wolves? Really?” Minhyung says, climbing on top of one of the rocks to sit on the edge, before turning to look at his uncle, “even my dad?”

Kun nods, grinning, “your mother too, both when they were around your age,” he adds on, “i heard that neither of them left until they were able to shift, and until they were able to get their howls heard over the walls of the gorge.”

Minhyung looks up on instinct, seeing how tall the walls are.

“That seems like it would take a long time though…” Minhyung says, looking down at his hands, only to look up again when a hand lands on his shoulder.

“You’ll get there soon, Minhyung, you just gotta trust yourself,” Kun says, squeezing the young boy’s shoulder in a small sign of faux encouragement, and it seems to work for him, “i’ll come back to check on you later,” he says, turning his back to the child and walking off.

“Dad will be so proud won’t he?” Minhyung calls after the older wolf, standing up on the rock to watch Kun walk off.

“Oh he will be, it’ll be a gift he’ll never forget,” Kun says, looking at the prince over his shoulder before turning away one last time, allowing a smirk to cross over his face.

He hears the child kick at the pebbles by his feet behind him before he glances up at the tall walls of the gorge, catching sight of three heads with yellow fur looking back down at him, before they turn away and he turns his gaze away as well.

His bones break and bend as he shifts into his wolf, before he’s rushing out of the gorge, up the way he and Minhyung had come down.

***

Minhyung sat on the rock, ears trained against the back of his head as he stared at the ground where his feet dangled a few feet above it.

He had been trying to shift into his wolf form for the past ten minutes at least, but he is starting to give up, finding it harder to keep trying after so many failed attempts.

But then he thinks of his father, and his mother, and how proud they’d both be if he succeeded in this, so he finds himself standing up on top of the rock again, his tail standing upright as newfound determination feels his little body once more.

He knows it’ll hurt when he finally figures it out, but he finds it doesn’t bother him as much as it probably should as he squeezes his eyes shut.

It’s hardly noticeable at first, but then he feels the first crack of his bones when the shift begins, and he grunting and screaming through the process as his bones move and rearrange themselves to the right places.

Once the last bone in his body molds back together, and the last patch of fur is grown properly, Minhyung lays down on the rock as the inevitable soreness buries itself deep within his body.

He’s exhausted but that doesn’t stop him from sitting up, instantly noticing the gray snout that sat where his nose and mouth should have been, and glee feels his entire being as he grins.

“I did it! I did it!” he cheers, hopping and jumping around the rock, letting out shouts of happiness.

His enthusiasm is cut short though when one of his shouts echoes a bit too loudly in the gorge, and the pebbles beneath his paws begin bouncing against the floor.

“Huh?” he hums, before raising his head up to the walls of the gorge, eyes widening when he sees a cloud of smoke appear above it, before a herd of moose becomes visible through it, stumbling and tripping over each other.

Minhyung’s breath catches in his throat, before he’s scrambling to hop off the rock, struggling to run fast enough with his short legs.

His heart beats loudly in his ears as he runs, finding it harder to breathe as he runs, and he feels the slightest bit of relief flow through him when he sees a tree sitting unharmed through the middle of the herd and jumps for it.

***

Kun walks through the palace halls, watching through the window as the dust cloud grows bigger over the gorge in the distance.

He smirks to himself, before Youngho’s and Taeyong’s voices are heard in the other hallway and Kun puts on an act, messing up his hair and pretending that he’s struggling for breath as he leans against the wall, just as the kings round the corner, Doyoung walking behind them.

“Kun?” Taeyong is first to notice him, rushing over to his side, “Kun what happened?”

Youngho goes over too, worry taking over his features when he sees how heavily he was breathing.

“Stampede,” Kun pants, “in the gorge, Minhyung’s down there,” he says, and Youngho tenses behind Taeyong.

“Minhyung?” he echos, and he’s taking off down the hallway without a second thought, “stay here Taeyong!” he yells over his shoulder as he disappears down the staircase, and Kun is taking off after him.

“Go with them, please,” Taeyong says to Doyoung, who nods even if he is a bit nervous, before he’s taking off after the trio.

Taeyong finds himself running after them too, just until they all rush out the door, before they disappear in the crowd.

***

Youngho reaches the gorge first with Kun and Doyougn stopping behind him.

“Where is he?” Youngho asks, urgency laced in his voice as he looks around, seeing nothing but terrified moose running through smoke clouds.

“Is that him?” Doyoung points at a tree that wobbled with every heavy hoof that hit the ground around it and one of the branches was a small gray puff of fur, clinging on for dear life.

Youngho doesn’t reply as he cups his hands around his mouth, “hold on Minhyung! I’m coming!” he shouts and the small wolf on the branch looks up at them for a split second before it looks away again as the tree is hit.

Youngho shifts, now thankful that the process doesn’t take forever before he’s jumping down into the gorge on the edges of the rocks that stick out of the wall.

Kun and Doyoung split, with the hare looking for another way down while Kun stays up and keeps his eyes trained on the large gray wolf as it hops into the herd, running with the animals.

Youngho makes it to the tree with a lot of struggle, and he’s sure he gained a lot of bruises and cuts from being knocked into so much by the moose.

His body is aching and pain shoots through him with every move of his muscles, but he doesn’t pay attention to it in favor of climbing up the very flimsy tree and biting at the extra skin on the back of the little wolf’s neck.

His hind legs are knocked into a lot and he growls as a result as he begins to lose feeling in them, but he doesn’t let his strength waver as he jumps off the tree, knocking one of the giant moose over as he runs with Minhyung dangling between his teeth.

The dust cloud makes it hard to maneuver through the crowd, but he manages to find a gap through the big animals and runs for it, jumping up onto the side of the wall as he does to place Minhyung down on the small ledge there.

“Hurry and climb Min-” Youngho’s words cut short when an antler of one of the moose rams into his ribs, knocking him off the wall and back into the crowd.

“Dad!” Minhyung exclaims, panic shooting through him as he searches for the large wolf, heart racing a mile a minute, and he feels with relief when he sees the large animal jump back onto the rocks, about some meters away from him.

He starts climbing up the wall himself when he sees that his dad seemed to have a good grasp on the wall, and he slowly made it midway to the top when he couldn’t see his dad anymore.

Youngho struggles to get to the top, and that's where he sees Kun standing at the top, in his wolf form and half looking like he was gonna jump down after them.

It's hard then to keep his claws dug into the dirt of the wall, only feeling himself slip the more he struggled.

“Kun!” he panted, “help me up, please!” his paws began to hurt as rocks dug into them, and he would rather continue to focus on that pain, but the looming threat of death distracted him, and he had to resist the overwhelming urge to look down.

His eyes squeezed shut as he slid again, barely being able to claw himself back up in time to see his brother’s face staring down at him, tail hung low behind him and ears perked forward, “Kun please!” he sounded desperate and it made Kun smirk slightly.

It’s as if the world had stopped except for the two of them as Youngho’s eyes widened when Kun finally spoke.

“Long live the king,” Kun sneers, before his foot comes into direct contact with Youngho’s face.

Tears slip from Youngho’s eyes as he falls, yelling out as panic courses through him. He sees a gray blob of fur out of the corner of his eyes, and he realizes a little too late what - or rather /who/ - it was.

“Minhyung..” he whispers to himself, before his eyes are squeezing shut once more, and he hits the ground, where the herd was still running.

“No!” Minhyung’s shout echoes through the gorge, and he finds it harder to breathe as his eyes search desperately for any sign that his father may still be alive.

The herd had started to clear up by now, and Minhyung practically dives back down the way he came in order to look for his father, or for Doyoung, or anyone at that moment, anyone who would be able to clear up the burning in his eyes and the aching of his heart.

“Dad!” Minhyung shouts, trotting through the gorge, before his eyes land on a big lump on the floor. He’s stumbling over his feet as he shifts mid run, back into his human self as he rushes towards the body.

“Dad.. Dad come on, get up...” he says, noticing that Youngho seemed to have reverted back to his human self after the fall and tears start falling from his face as he drops beside his father, “Dad..?” Minhyung repeats, pulling him by the shoulder to roll him onto his back, feeling his throat go dry as he takes in the cuts and bruises that already began to decorate his father’s face..

Without much thought, he’s looking around, desperation still rumbling through him, “help! Somebody! Doyoung! Uncle Kun!”

“D-dad..” he sobs, leaning his head on the older man’s chest, body trembling with how forceful his cries are. His chest hurts from how hard he’s crying, hyperventilating slightly as he clutches onto the fabric of his father’s shirt.

“Minhyung,” the voice makes the young wolf’s head snap up, meeting Kun’s horrified expression, “My- what- what have you done?” 

“I didn't mean to! I-” Minhyung sobs as he stands up falling into the arms of his uncle, who holds the boy close, “i didn’t know..”

“It’s okay, Minhyung, no one ever knows what would happen..” Kun says, hardly attempting to console the boy as he sobs against the front of his shirt.

“What-what do I do, uncle?” Minhyung asks, looking up at the older man, who looks back down at him, “what am i gonna do? How will I explain this to my mother?”

“You won’t,” Kun watches as Minhyung’s ears flatten against the back of his head, and he hates that he can see his brother in the young pup’s face, “Minhyung, how are you gonna explain how you had gotten your father killed to the man who married him?”

Minhyung flicks his gaze away from the older wolf when he thought of how his mother would react.

“No one is going to want someone that killed their father to be king, Minhyung,” Kun adds on, and a sharp pain shoots through Minhyung’s heart as he steps back, away from the older wolf, “nor would they want them as a son.”

“Then-” minhyung swallows, glancing back at his father’s body, “what-what do i do then?” he asks, voice shaky as he looks back at Kun.

“Run away, Minhyung,” Kun watches as fear crosses Minhyung’s features, coiling in on himself slightly, “run away, and never come back.”

Minhyung stares at his uncle, waiting for him to say it was a joke or something, but it never happens, and with a heavy heart and shaky legs, he turns, and runs, shifting mid leap into his wolf.

As he takes off just around the bend of the gorge, he fails to see the shadows that walk up behind his uncle.

Kun watches as Minhyung leaves dust in his wake, and without looking at the jaguars that walked up beside him, he speaks.

“Kill him.”

The felines snarl and roar, before taking off after the prince.

Kun watches the felines disappear around the corner before he turns around, looking back at his brother.

He can instantly notice the very shallow breaths the older man was taking, but he didn’t seem to be awake.

He moves, pebbles and dirt crunching under his feet as he steps towards the wolf and kneels down beside him.

“You just won’t give up will you?” he says, a slight snarl in his tone of voice as he grabs Youngho’s chin in his hand and forces the alpha’s head up, baring his throat to Kun, “maybe i should just end you myse-”

“Kun!” 

Kun swears under his breath when he hears the voice and rushed footsteps coming towards him.

He turns his head slightly in time to see Doyoung stop just a few feet from him.

“Oh my- is- is he dead?” the hare asks, eyes shaking slightly as he flicks them between Youngho and Kun.

Kun let out a soft sigh, before he shakes his head.

“No, thank goodness,” Kun says, letting go of Youngho’s chin and allowing his head to fall back to the side, “he’s just heavily injured… probably will be out of it for a while.”

Doyoung takes a few cautioned steps over to the duo, before he’s kneeling next to the king and placing two fingers against the alpha’s neck. His shoulders sag in relief when he can feel a slight pulse.

“That’s good then… let’s hope he makes it.”

“I don’t think he will… the herd left a few good hits to his head…” Kun says as he stands up, dusting his pants off as he does.

“Well, at least he’s still alive right now,” Doyoung says, before his ears shoot up in alarm, “wait where’s Minhyung?” 

Kun looks back just as Doyoung looks at him, “I don't know. I didn’t see him anywhere.”

“That… that’s not good.. What will we tell Taeyong when we come back with his husband but not his son?” Doyoung stands, pulling at the bottom of his button up shirt to hopefully calm down the anxiety that began to filter through his veins.

Kun breathes out through his nose to calm himself down in order to grab Doyoung’s lithe shoulders between his hands, forcing the scared rabbit to look at him.

“We do what’s right,” Kun says, and Doyoung’s eyes turn glossy, “we’re gonna tell him the truth.”

“He won’t take it well,” Doyoung says, shaking his head slightly, bringing his hands up to rub at his eyes.

“I know he won’t,” Kun says, looking behind the rabbit back down at his brother, “help me get him back to the castle.”


	4. Chapter 4

Minhyung hears the snarls and growls and heavy footsteps running after him, and he looks over his shoulder for a brief moment, just in time to see some Jaguars appear through the dust, heading straight for him.

Fear and terror fills his body as he sprints, hoping that he’s able to get away before he loses too much energy.

His paws hurt from running over the pebbles and rocks, but he ignores it as he ducks through a small hole where he’s hoping the jaguars can’t fit, and popping out the other side, running further and further, from the place he had called home.

He barely catches the cliff coming up, but the adrenaline and anxiety in his veins refuses to let him stop, especially when the jaguars appear again, right on his tail.

He squeezes his eyes shut as he starts sliding to a stop, only to tip over the edge just as a jaguar jumps after him, flying overhead and down to the ground below.

One jaguar pops his head over the edge, scanning the area below until another jaguar comes up right next to him and he growls, turning his head to nip at the feline’s shoulder who yelps.

“Personal /space/, Jeno, have you heard of it?” Jaehyun growls as Jeno backs away from him.

“Sorry, sorry,” Jeno apologizes, before lowering his head as Yongqin steps between the two of them.

“Go down there and look for him, if he’s not dead, kill him,” Yongqin says, not sparing either of them a glance as he turns and heads back.

Jaehyun sighs as he looks back down, growling low in the back of his throat as he sees how far the drop is, “okay, lets just say that we went down there, and ate him, okay?”

“Sounds like a plan, cause I am starving,” Jeno says, starting to step down, before jaehyun snarls, swiping sharp claws at him to get him to back up.

“We aren't actually going to eat him, you dimwit,” Jaehyun growls, “look, there’s no way he survived that fall, he’s dead, and that is all Yongqin ever has to know about, got it?” he says, before turning and walking the way Yongqin went.

Jeno watches him leave, before sending a glance down the cliff, and shrugs, “works for me then,” he says, and chases after the older feline.

Just a few feet below them, exhausted from all the running and stress he had felt within the past 5 or so minutes, laid Minhyung, curled in on himself as he waited, seeing if the coast was clear.

He only waited a few seconds, before he slid down the ledge, and into the dying trees below him.

***

Kun and Doyoung arrived back at the castle, both with one of Youngho’s arms thrown over their shoulders, and Doyoung showing all the fear and anxiety for the both of them in the way he was carrying himself right now.

The door opens once they make it up the last few steps, and out comes Taeyong, flanked by two guards.

“Kun?” Taeyong’s voice makes the male in question look up, just in time to see the fear cross over his face when he lets his gaze land on the male between Kun and the advisor.

“Oh my god- Youngho!” he exclaims, rushing over towards the trio. His hands move to lift Youngho’s head up and examine the damage on his husband, “what-what happened? What happened to him?” Taeyong asks, looking back at Kun, eyes filled with nothing but anxiety and worry.

“He got stuck in the stampede,” Kun starts, “i tried to help him up but i lost my grip.” he says, lowering his head to avoid Taeyong’s heavy gaze.

Taeyong felt his chest grow heavy, dread filling him once he notices the lack of another person, “what- what about my baby? Where’s my son at?” he asks, blinking back tears that began to form in his eyes, “he’s okay isn’t he?”

“I’m sorry, sire,” Doyoung says, looking as upset as Kun did, “we-we were only able to find the king… Minhyung was nowhere to be seen in the gorge… I-i fear whatever chased the herd might have gotten to him…”

Taeyong’s legs falter, losing all strength to hold him up, and he breaks, stumbling against the gap between youngho’s and Kun’s body to keep himself upright, and Kun tries to keep his strength up at the added weight against him..

Doyoung refuses to watch his king break down so he turns his head away, squeezing his eyes shut to keep his own tears at bay.

“The king is.. He’s still alive, Sire…” Doyoung says softly, “we just… we need to keep a close eye on him… if you want… I can get some nurses to watch over him for you.”

Taeyong’s lips wobble slightly when he looks at the hare - obviously noticing that Doyoung is trying to avoid his gaze best as possible - so he turns his face back into Kun’s shoulder.

“Please do, Kim… I want him to be as comfortable as possible for however long he needs….” Taeyong’s voice is muffled from Kun’s blazer, but the advisor hears him perfectly, and bows his head, before he motions for the two guards that came with Taeyong to help with Youngho’s limp body.

Taeyong allows himself to crumble against Kun’s body once Youngho and Doyoung are gone, and he seems to shake even more now that he knows of the situation at hand.

“Dear lord, how am I going to explain this to the kingdom? I can’t do that on my own, Youngho always did all the talking…” Taeyong’s voice shook, stepping back from Kun as he did, “god how am i going to do anything without him by my side…”

“If you’d like, your highness…” Kun starts, and Taeyong looks up at him, eyes wide and glossy, tears still falling from them as he waits for Kun to continue, “i can break the news to the kingdom, i can help you watch over it.”

“I can’t do that Kun,” Taeyong shakes his head, “i’m sorry but-but Youngho always said there was a reason you never got the throne, why you were never given authority over anythi-”

“You can’t possibly run a kingdom on your own with your lack of social skills, your highness,” Taeyong feels himself freeze at the sudden cruel tone in Kun’s voice, a repulsive quiver running up his spine as he stares at the younger, seeing an enraged glimmer shining over Kun’s irises.

He had alpha ordered him.

Kun had alpha ordered Taeyong, and held no remorse for the omega as he held his ground.

He kept the tone as he spoke, “I'm sorry Taeyong, but in my honest opinion, you are nowhere near where you need to be to run an entire kingdom on your own,” Taeyong shudders as Kun’s voice lowers, just enough for the two of them to hear.

Taeyong desperately wants to call out for help, but he finds himself frozen, only able to flick his gaze across the scar on Kun’s face, and his heart pounds against his rib cage, as Kun stares back at him.

“Think about it, Taeyong,” Kun starts, and his voice isn’t as harsh as it was, but the undertone of the alpha order was still there, “you aren’t an alpha. There’s no way anyone would want to listen to someone as weak minded and socially incompetent as you.”

For a second, Taeyong believed his words.

Only a second though, before he manages to snap back into reality when kun blinks, and the feeling of the alpha order disappears from his head.

“Fine, just- just don’t harm my subjects, Kun.”

“I’m not one to make promises, Taeyong,” Kun says, voice cool and leveled as he keeps Taeyong’s gaze, and it’s then that Taeyong can see the sense of pride in his eyes, seeing how the alpha held himself so proudly unlike how he did when they first arrived, “unlike Youngho, i’m not so easily trustworthy when it comes to someone’s life.”

Taeyong’s heart squeezed inside his chest as he sees any and all bits of dread and guilt leaves the wolf’s face entirely, and his breathing picks up as he steps back.

“Wa-wait a second,” his voice wavers as Kun raises a brow, “did-did you-”

“Just now piecing it together, Yong?” Kun asks, amusement shining on his face as he does, “wow, you really aren’t that smart are you?”

“I- how-how could you do that? He’s your- mmph!” one of Kun’s hands came up to cover his mouth, rendering him unable to speak, before he dragged the wolf inside.

He lets out a muffled yelp when he’s shoved against one of the walls inside the palace, his body being pressed between Kun’s body and the concrete behind him.

He looked up at the gray wolf, fear and anxiety swirling through his veins as Kun stared at him with an intensity that made his blood run cold.

“I’m warning you, Taeyong, and this will be the only time that i do so,” Kun sneers at him, eyes glowing a faint yellow, a color that Taeyong would see more of now, “if you let word get out about this, i will make you watch your subjects suffer the consequences, do you hear me?” 

In the deserted hallway, Taeyong felt his pride leave him as he allowed the alpha order to settle into his bones, and his mind, and he slumps against the wall as Kun pulls his hand away.

“I feel as if I got my point across enough,” Kun says and steps away just as Taeyong allows himself to slide down against the wall, not meeting the alpha’s eyes anymore.

“Don’t give me a reason to hurt you anymore than i already have, Taeyong, after all, Youngho’s life is on the line still,” he says, before turning and walking off, and Taeyong pulls his knees up to his chest as he tries to fight the alpha order.

*** 

Taeyong leans against the balcony, just two stories above where Kun stood, in front of the crowd of people who came from the village surrounding the kingdom, and Taeyong feels his heart squeeze as Kun explained what had occurred just that morning.

Taeyong hadn’t mentioned to anyone about how Kun had alpha ordered him, because he refuses to give Kun any reason to harm his people, and if that means keeping a secret as big as this, then Taeyong has no choice..

“He’s fucking insane…” Taeyong mutters, before jumping when he hears a voice behind him.

“Woah, language, your highness,” Jungwoo’s voice reaches him, and Taeyong turns around to look at the arctic wolf, Donghyuck hiding behind him, “you alright?”

Taeyong sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers, “hardly,” he says softly, and Jungwoo walks over him.

Taeyong looks back down at the crowd below him, only for his face to be turned back, and he meets Jungwoo’s worried gaze. The arctic wolf stares for just a few more seconds, before he pulls his hand away from Taeyong’s cheek in shock, “who alpha ordered you?”

Taeyong sputters slightly, “what? No- no one has! Why are you suggesting I would let that happen to me?”

“Yong, I see it in your eyes, I can tell you were alpha ordered because the same thing has happened to me before.”

Taeyong can’t find any words to respond with, so he abruptly turns his head away, looking back down at the people once more, allowing his hair to cover his face from Jungwoo’s view.

“Your majesty,” Donghyuck speaks up, and Taeyong can’t help but look back at the younger arctic wolf, still mainly hiding behind his mother, “who hurt you?” he asks, and suddenly Taeyong feels compelled to talk, never being able to ignore the young omega.

Taeyong sighs, and looks back down at the wolf that spoke to the people, now being able to see through all the lies he spoke to his subjects.

“Kun did,” he answers, glaring down at the gray wolf, before turning away from the balcony entirely, walking back into the castle, while Jungwoo and Donghyuck followed after him.

“Why would Kun do that? He’s Youngho’s brother, shouldn’t he be treating you with respect?”

“He doesn’t respect me, he doesn’t respect Youngho either,” Taeyong hisses, “he respects the throne only, which is why he’s so adamant on getting me in the place he wants me to be in.”

“And what place would that be?” Jungwoo asks, watching Taeyong’s features shift with disgust.

“Kneeled at his feet.”

***

“I refuse to let you bring the jaguars into my kingdom, Kun,” Taeyong snarls, Taeil, Jungwoo and Donghyuck beside him, as they stood in front of the male in question who sat in Youngho’s throne, already claiming the chair as his own.

Taeil had joined them after Taeyong told Jungwoo and Donghyuck what happened, which made Taeyong feel somewhat more confident in front of the gray wolf.

“Didn’t you hear me, Yong?” Kun says, just as the door to the throne room opens, and the wolf lets a smirk cross his face, “they’re already here.”

Taeyong turns, head spinning slightly at how fast he does, just in time to see Jaehyun and Jeno hold the doors open for several more jaguars to step in, before finally Yongqin steps inside.

Once he’s inside, Jeno and Jaehyun let the doors close, and Taeyong sees in the corner of his eye as Donghyuck cowers behind his mother even more.

“Hello again, Taeyongie,” Yongqin said with faux cheerfulness, “I was wondering when I’d get to see your face again.”

“You don’t have the privilege of calling me that anymore, Yongqin,” Taeyong growls, and it's returned by a few jaguars nearest to him.

“I wouldn’t start anything with him, Taeyong,” Kun says, leaning his head on his hand, “much like how you're the kingdom’s prized jewel, Yongqin is the same in his pack.”

“You think I care about that?” Taeyong snarls, hands clenched into fists at his side as he stares Yongqin down.

“Lay a hand on me, /Lee/,” Yongqin hisses as he steps into Taeyong’s space, “ and your precious subjects and that damned husband of yours will deal with the consequences.”

The fire in Taeyong seems to die down at that, and he falters in his steps as Yongqin moves to walk past him.

“Kun, what you’re doing is wrong, you’re going to set the kingdom into a pani-” 

“And who asked you, lynx?” Kun sent a glare in Taeil’s direction, and it shut the older male up.

Taeyong watched as Yongqin sat on the arm of Youngho’s throne, only to see one of Kun’s hands move to settle on the jaguar’s thigh.

“Taeyong,” Kun’s voice causes him to look up and meet the wolf’s eyes, “you could be sitting in the throne beside me, ya know? Instead of fighting the fact that Youngho is practically gone, you can continue on being king.”

“I will /never/ sit nor rule beside you,” Taeyong snarls, “I am to remain loyal to /my/ king, my husband and my /mate/, even if he is on his deathbed. Just because he is not in the throne, does not suddenly make my loyalty for him disappear.”

Kun just shrugs at his response, turning his gaze up towards the jaguar next to him, “suit yourself then, i’ll just rule over the kingdom with my mate i suppose,” Kun sees the bewildered expression that crosses Taeyong’s face as he speaks, “after all, i have to remain loyal to him too, shouldn't i?”

“Ma-mate?” Taeyong splutters, and his bewilderment grows even more when Yongqin pulls his blouse off his shoulder, revealing a bite mark where his mating gland was, looking like it had been there for a while.

“You aren’t the only commoner who mated with a blueblood, Lee,” Yongqin says, allowing his blouse to fall back into place.

“Not only are you letting your brother down by bringing his enemy into his kingdom, but you are mated to the one who cost me my first two children?” Taeyong exclaims, the fire returning to his body as he trembles in place, “what have we done to make you hold so much resentment towards us, Kun? Why are you acting this way?”

“Because i deserved to be king from the start of this,” Kun snarls, standing up from the throne as he does, irises glowing a bright yellow as he steps down towards Taeyong, “i was supposed to be king, i am the one that deserved that throne from the very beginning.”

Taeyong stepped back with every step Kun took towards him, and he felt it again, the way his body shuddered as Kun’s tone turned cruel, the way his blood ran cold in his veins.

“Youngho was never fit to be king,” Kun growled, his hand shooting up to wrap around Taeyongs neck as anger fueled his entire body, “he only became king because you chose him, you chose the bastard over me and your reckless actions made everything i ever wanted disappear from my reach.”

Taeyong’s hands clawed at Kun’s wrist, gasping for air as Kun’s grip on his throat tightened. “Ku-Kun, stop,” he breathed, his face turning a slight purple as it got harder to breathe.

“Kun stop it!” Jungwoo shouts, moving to step towards the pair, only for two jaguars to jump in front of him, growling and snarling him, forcing him away.

“Mom! Taeyong- he-” Donghyuck’s voice cries, tears sliding down his cheeks as he watches Taeyong’s hands start to go limp where they held onto Kun’s hand, before the alpha wolf is tossing him a few feet away, landing in front of Taeil’s feet, and Taeyong yelps weakly when he hits the ground, heaving as air enters his lungs once more, feeling bile creep up the back of his throat.

Kun watches as Jungwoo and Donghyuck rush to Taeyong’s side, helping him sit up as he continues taking in oxygen, throat turning a blotchy red where Kun had grabbed him.

“Get them out of here,” Kun says, turning his back to the four and walking back towards where Yongqin stood waiting for him, “do what you wish to them.” he adds on, sitting back down on the throne.

“Whatever we wish?” Jaehyun asks, and when he sees a nod of confirmation from Yongqin, he smirks.

He is one of the first that moved towards the group, grabbing onto the nearest one which was Donghyuck, and the teenager let out a scream as he was pulled away.

Jungwoo’s ears shot up, and he was on his feet in a second, “let go of him!” he growls, only for a pair of arms to slip under his own, pulling him away from Jaehyun and Donghyuck. “let go of me, you fucking bastard!” he swears, kicking and pulling, struggling to break the grasp that Jeno had on him.

“Mom!” Donghyuck yells as Jaehyun forces him out of the room, his attempts of pulling away becoming futile against the brute alpha strength.

“Donghyuck!” Jungwoo shouts, throwing his head back against Jeno’s face, hitting his nose dead on and causing the jaguar to let go with a growl, before Jungwoo is taking off after his son and the male pulling him away, ”Don’t touch my son!”

Two more jaguars move to grab Taeil and Taeyong, while Jeno and a few others chase after Jungwoo down the hall.

“I will take him to his chambers,” Taeil growls at the jaguars surrounding him, as he cradled Taeyong to his chest, “you have no need to touch either of us,” he adds on, before he’s standing up, pulling Taeyong along with him.

“His chambers aren’t his no more,” Yongqin’s voice bounces off the walls of the throne room, “those chambers belong to the kings, don’t they?”

“You are not a king of this land and you never will be-”

“Taeil..” Taeyong’s voice is hoarse when he speaks, and the lynx looks at him with worry, “just take me to Minhyung’s room… please… they’re keeping Youngho there anyway… i’d prefer to be with him.”

Taeil looks ready to protest, but with one tired and pained glance from Taeyong, he drops it, proceeding out of the throne room, and to one of the guest rooms.

As the room empties out, Yongqin and Kun are left alone.

“I didn’t expect you to nearly kill him,” Yongqin says, watching as Kun sits back down on the throne, “why didn’t you?”

“It would be too suspicious for the royal family to fall on the same day, would it not?” Kun says, looking up at Yongqin who returned his gaze, “Taeyong’s time will come, i assure you, my love, you will be able to have your own fun with him in due time,” he adds on, gently grabbing Yongqin’s hand, and placing a chaste kiss against his knuckle as he does.

He looks up when Yongqin pulls his hand away, smiling when he sees the glare in the jaguar’s eyes, “still fighting it, darling?”

“I’m not going to fall for your attempts at bedding me so easily, Kun,” Yongqin says, crossing his arms over his chest as he does.

Kun hums then, “but you allow yourself to fall into the beds of your packmates, don’t you?”

Yongqin sputters, cheeks turning a bright red, “what are you saying?”

“You’re the only omega in a pack of alphas, sweetheart,” Kun says, leaning back in his seat, “i see right through your game, Yongqin, you aren’t as slick as you believe yourself to be.”

“What-what game?”

“The game where you’re doing absolutely everything you can to keep my attention on you,” Kun says, and he sees the way Yongqin swallows, face now flushed a bright red, “you fought off all other omega jaguars so that you’re at the center of attention, don’t act like you’ve never deliberately rubbed yourself against those two jaguars that follow you around everywhere.”

Yongqin’s ears flatten against his head, brows furrowing slightly, “and what else would you expect me to do? Sit back while you have your fun chasing after your brother’s mate? I needed to have some fun for myself somehow.”

“I did chase after him, my love,” Kun says, standing up and stepping towards the jaguar, placing his hands on Yongqin’s hips when he’s in reach, “but i never wanted to sleep with him, you know more than anyone that he was my ticket to the throne.”

Yongqin seems skeptical - of course he is, when is he not? - as he stares into Kun’s eyes, noticing how soft the wolf’s eyes are more than usual and much different from the anger he shown just a moment before, “your past feelings for him…” the jaguar starts, biting his lip slightly, “they’re gone, aren’t they?”

“Since I first laid eyes on you, they were gone, darling,” Kun replies, and Yongqin hates that a warm feeling settles low in his stomach at the words.

“And how do I believe that? How do I know you aren’t lying?” Yongqin says, placing his hands on Kun’s chest to keep him at a distance and to keep his last string of dignity intact.

“If i must show you, and prove that my feelings for him are no more, then i shall,” Kun says, and Yongqin’s strength in his arms seem to falter slightly, giving Kun a chance to pull him closer until their lips lock, and Yongqin does nothing to push him away.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a lot happens in this chapter so please be careful reading this! and know that i do not wish any of this to actually happen to the men mentioned, nor do i condone anything that happens or is mentioned in here.

“Taeil, please, i’m fine,” Taeyong says, as the man in question lays him down on the bed beside where Youngho was laying, worry still filtering through his eyes as he does, “please just go check up on Jungwoo and Donghyuck please, i want to know if they’re alright.”

Taeyong looks down then at his hands where they lay in his lap, “I wouldn't be able to live with myself if those jaguars had laid their hands on them.”

“Taeyong you realise that-” Taeil stops speaking when he notices Taeyong’s shoulders stiffen slightly, “i won’t make it in time to make sure those jaguars keep their hands to themselves, you know that.. Don’t you?”

“I know..” Taeyong’s voice is soft, almost a mutter as he looks up at Taeil, tears brimming his eyes, “it’s my fault they’re in this, isn’t it? If i- if i hadn’t told them to stay with me- if i only just-” his voice breaks as a sob leaves him, and Taeil pulls him into his side.

“No, Taeyong, none of this is your fault, do you hear me?” Taeil says, running a hand through Taeyong’s hair, “Jungwoo would’ve stayed by your side, no matter what, you know that. He’s always by your side.”

“I know,” Taeyong cried, voice muffled by Taeil’s shirt, “I wish he wasn’t as loyal as I am sometimes.”

“You can’t hate him for wanting to stay with his friend, your highness,” Taeil says, and Taeyong pulls away from his shoulder.

“I know… I do love that he’s so stubborn sometimes… I just wish he didn’t get stuck in my problems with Kun, that should’ve stayed between me and him.” Taeyong wipes at his cheeks with his sleeve, sniffling slightly as he does, and Taeil bites the inside of his cheek slightly.

“I can… i can try to check on him for you… who knows if i’ll get past all the jaguars that are definitely gonna be surrounding them,” he says, standing up from the bed, “i’ll try to find Doyoung as well, maybe he’ll come back and stay in here with you.”

“Please find him..” Taeyong says softly, and looks up at the lynx.

Taeil nods, bowing slightly as he does, “i will, sire.”

Once the door had closed behind Taeil, Taeyong finds himself curling up against his husband’s body, feeling himself calm down to the very faint rise and fall of Youngho’s chest.

He should feel sad, maybe pissed off at Kun for taking his son away from him and attempting to do the same with his husband, but he doesn’t. He just feels… empty. The two things he’s loved the most in the world, one taken from him within an instant, and one barely holding on to the last of his life line, all at the hands of someone they felt they could trust.

“How foolish of me to believe I could trust him at all…” Taeyong mutters, turning onto his other side, where he’s met face to face with a plushie, a lion to be more specific, one that belonged to Minhyung.

His heart pounded against his rib cage as he stared at the stuffed animal before the door clicks open, and he turns his head just slightly, enough to see two long ears perched on top of someone’s head, and he feels some of the tension in his shoulders leave him when he recognises the face the ears belong to.

“Sire? Are you alright?” Doyoung’s voice is soft and gentle as he walks over to the bed, “Taeil said you wanted to see me?”

“Yes, I did,” Taeyong said, sitting up as Doyoung stood in front of him, “about Minhyung’s burial… instead of…” Taeyong feels his throat go dry as the words leave him, “instead of burying an empty casket.. Let’s… let’s put this in there ....” he reaches behind him to grab the lion stuffie, setting it in his lap as he did.

“But.. sire, are you sure?” Doyoung asks as confirmation, flinching when Taeyong hands him the stuffie, “why not keep it? In memory of your son?”

Taeyong shakes his head slightly, a ghost of a smile passing over his lips, “i can’t do that, Kim,” he says softly, before raising his gaze to look at the toy one last time, “i feel that it would pain me more that we’re burying nothing of my son… so i feel this shall be a proper replacement..”

Doyoung is silent for a moment, before he looks down at the toy as well, seeing how worn down it was.

The little stuffed animal had carried so many memories for the entire royal family and everyone who lived in the castle, from when Taeil had given it to Minhyung at the age of six, to the age of fifteen. Doyoung would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little upset at having to bury this little piece of nostalgia just to keep the king happier.

After a beat or two of silence, Doyoung bows his head, “i will see to it that the arrangement will be made, your highness, i assure you, his casket won’t be empty..” he says, before lifting his head up in time to see some tears escape the omega wolf’s eyes.

“Thank you, Doyoung..” he says, voice shaky, and Doyoung decides it’s a good time to leave, and give the king some space.

Once the door is closed behind him, he isn’t surprised when he hears sobbing come from inside the room, and though it pains him to leave Taeyong in such a state, he forces himself to walk down the corridor, hoping his eyes aren’t as glossy as they feel.

***

Minhyung had been walking for who knows how long.

After he had ran from the jaguars about an hour or so ago, he’s been travelling through some deserted lands that he had no idea were outside the kingdom.

His legs were aching, and his clothes stuck to his skin in a way that made everything chafe uncomfortably.

He wanted to go back home.

He wished whatever had happened, hadn’t.

He wants to go back and see his father standing in the courtyard of the palace.

He wanted to go back and see Donghyuck.

He wanted to see Doyoung, Taeil and Jungwoo.

He wanted to go back and see his mom, happy as ever when he comes home.

He wanted his family again, he wanted to feel safe again.

That wasn’t an option anymore though.

He couldn't return, Kun was right, no one would want to see him after he caused his father’s death.

“I’m sorry..” he says, to no one in particular. His throat was dry, and his tongue smacked uncomfortably against the roof of his mouth as he spoke.

He was so tired and dehydrated, he wasn’t even sure if he would make it anywhere.

Maybe this is what he deserved, to die from dehydration for killing his father, and hurting his mother.

“I’m sorry…” he repeats, this time his voice cracks, and tears flood his vision as his legs give out, and he collapses to the floor, “i’m sorry, i’m so-so sorry,” he hiccups, leaning down to press his forehead against the dirt floor, “i never-never meant for this to happen, i-i didn’t mean to cause any of this…”

He raises his head slightly, feeling his head spin slightly when another wave of dehydration and exhaustion hits him, and he’s unable to stop himself from falling forward, landing on the dirt ground below him.

***

Minhyung woke up to faint chatter.

It was hard to open his eyes, body feeling like lead, so instead he forced himself to listen to the voices beside him.

“He’s a kid, Kunhang, I couldn't leave him out there,” one voice says.

“That doesn’t matter, Yukhei,” the voice -Kunhang- says, “he’s a wolf, a predator, who knows what he’ll do to us when he wakes.”

“How could he harm us? He’s tiny.” 

“Too you he is.”

“Still, he can’t be that old, he doesn’t look it.”

“I don’t know, Yukhei, this place was just supposed to be for the two of us, not two prey hybrids and a predator,” Kunhang says, before sighing, “and lord knows what we’ll feed him.”

“We can teach him to eat like us!” Yukhei says, excitement in his voice.

“You think that’s gonna wash away at least thirteen years of him eating mainly meat?” Kunhang asks, and after a few quiet seconds, Minhyung hears a sigh, “fine.”

Minhyung faintly hears Yukhei mutter “softie” under his breath, but he hardly catches it as he focuses on opening his eyes once more, making a soft sound in the back of his throat.

He hears a gasp of fear, and the slight sound of bones breaking as someone shifts, and he sits up in time to see a small squirrel land on a pair of antlers, and Minhyung notices that the antlers are attached to the head of a man not much older than him.

“Hi,” Minhyung recognizes the voice belonging to Yukhei, the man with the antlers, “I saved your life.”

Minhyung stares for a few seconds, before he turns his head down to his lap, seeing he was sitting on top of a bed, “you didn’t need to, i shouldn’t be alive anyway.”

“Why are you saying that?” the squirrel, Kunhang says, confusion laced in his tone.

“Because I shouldn’t be.”

“No one deserve to die though,” Yukhei says, and Minhyung scoffs slightly.

“Obviously that’s not true,” Minhyung says, moving to slide off the bed.

“Look kid,” Kunhang says, and Minhyung looks up to meet his gaze, “whatever made you think this way, i say just don’t worry about it,” the squirrel falls quiet for a moment, “how old are you?”

“Fifteen.. Why?”

“You’re fifteen and you believe you shouldn’t be alive? Dude, you’re way too young to be giving up this early.”

Minhyung furrows his brows slightly when Yukhei begins pushing him out of the little house they were in, and Minhyung squints slightly when the sun hits his face as they step outside.

“We won’t bombard you with questions of your past, nor will we focus on making you forget it, but we can try to help you not worry about it,” Kunhang says, and Minhyung can easily tell that he was the wiser one between him and the moose.

“And how will you do that?”

“I have no idea, but we’re gonna try,” Kunhang says, before he hops off from his perch on Yukhei’s antlers, shifting out of his squirrel form, and it causes Minhyung and Yukhei to stop walking, “just whatever you do, don't do what a wolf does. We’re all prey hybrids here and we normally would keep it that way.”

“Then why take me in? Why not just leave me out in the desert and let the vultures get me?” Minhyung asks, and looks between the two older men.

“Yukhei wouldn’t let me live that down if we left you there to die in such an inhumane way.” Kunhang says, and Minhyung looks over at the moose once more who was grinning like an idiot.

“Right.. Well.. thanks for doing that i guess..” Minhyung says, now avoiding looking at the two altogether, and instead around at the area around them, only now realising that it was a village.

It didn’t look as extravagant as the one back home, but it definitely was huge, with different hybrids walking around here and there.

They haven’t seemed to notice him yet.

“Welcome to the outlands- er- what was your name?” Kunhang asks looking back at the wolf.

Minhyung looks around for another moment, before responding, “Minhyung,” he says, voice barely above a mutter, “Suh Minhyung.”

“Well, Minhyung,” Kunhang says - Minhyung notices his lack of reaction to his last name - as he places a hand on the wolf’s shoulder, “welcome to our home.”

***

Taeyong wishes he had the strength to get out of bed a few days after Kun and Yongqin took over the kingdom.

He was clutching one of Minhyung’s pillows while curled up against the side of Youngho’s body. The pillow still held his son’s scent, something that the young wolf and his husband sort of shared. It made tears immediately brim his eyes.

He held the pillow closer to his chest, inhaling the scent over and over again, enough times so he can have the smell of rain and parchment ingrained in his head forever. It was a scent that was so specific, and Taeyong doesn’t want to ever forget it.

He was brought out of his head when the door creaked open, and the soft patter of feet was heard coming towards the bed.

He felt the mattress dip behind him, and a hand was placed on his shoulder, “sire?”

“I don’t think you can call me that anymore, Doyoung,” Taeyong says, and Doyoung’s hand moves away like he was burned, and Taeyong finds the phantom touch of the hare’s hand rather upsetting.

“I- why not?”

“I’m not king no more, Doyoung,” Taeyong says, and he moves to sit up, fixing his blouse as he does, “i know it’s a habit of yours to refer to me as that but- but you heard Yongqin before. I’m not king no more so long as Kun is sitting in Youngho’s throne and as long as i refuse to sit beside him.”

“But sire-” Doyoung stops when Taeyong gives him a tired look, and he sighs as he turns his gaze away, “Taeyong,” he starts again, “i can’t accept them as my kings, i-i’m not going to start being unloyal to you and Youngho simply because a new body sits in your thrones.”

“You’re going to have to, Doyoung, otherwise, who knows what they’ll do to you if you start rejecting Kun’s demands.”

“I don’t care what happens to me,” Doyoung says with a shaky voice, “my loyalty lies with you, just as yours does with Youngho. I won’t turn my back on you simply because you aren’t in the throne anymore.”

Taeyong can’t help himself when he pulls the hare into a gentle hug, feeling Doyoung shake in his hold, “I'm sorry, Doyoung..”

Doyoung’s tears dampen his shoulder, but Taeyong ignores it as he runs a hand down the younger’s back, hoping to console him.

“I don’t want it to be this way either.. But we can’t help it.. So please,” Taeyong pauses to pulls Doyoung’s face out of his shoulder, and he finds he really doesn’t like it when the hare is crying when he sees his puffy red eyes and how blotchy and red his cheeks were, “please, for me, just do what Kun wishes of you.”

He searches Doyoung’s face for anything, any sign of disagreement or rejection, but he sees none.

“I don’t want any harm to come to you like it already has Taeil and Jungwoo for being disobedient, please for once, treat me like I'm the dirt at your feet for the sake of my sanity.”

Doyoung stares at him, and Taeyong fears that he may have broken the hare’s heart with the few words.

Doyoung parts his lips, trying to find words to say, but he can’t find any, and he hangs his head, staring down at where his hands were folded in his lap.

“I can’t treat you as anyone lesser than me… but… but i will listen to Kun and Yongqin…” he finally says after a moment of uncomfortable silence.

“Thank you, Doyoung, I promise you… it won’t need to be like this forever…”

“Lord, i sure hope it doesn’t… even looking at both of them sends me into a panic,” Doyoung says, and Taeyong can’t help but let a smile cross his lips.

“It won’t.”

The door opens again, and they both look over in time to see Taeil step inside, and Taeyong feels the smile drop from his face as fear crosses through him when another man steps in after him.

“Kun- what- what have you done with him?” Taeyong says, shooting up from the bed as he takes in Taeil’s appearance.

Yongqin clearly allowed Jeno and Jaehyun to deal with Taeil, Taeyong can tell, because as he trails his eyes down to the lynx’s exposed torso, he took notice of the two J’s that were cut over previous scars left by the two jaguars into his stomach, lined with several other scratches on the rest of his body, blood oozing from each of the openings.

“He wouldn’t listen, again,” Kun’s voice held a growl that Taeyong had more or less gotten used to even if it did affect him still, and he faintly notices Doyoung stiffening next to him as well.

“He brought it upon himself,” Kun says, before he’s shoving Taeil inside, and the lynx, without the necessary support anymore, falls onto his knees, before dropping onto his side with a thud, “patch him up before the burial later, i don’t want what's left of your guards to see this.”

And with that, Kun Leaves the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

With the alpha wolf gone, Taeyong and Doyoung find it in themselves to rush towards him, falling to their knees beside the lynx.

“Taeil?” Taeyong pleads, cupping the lynx’s face in his hands, “Taeil, look at me,” he repeats, and the lynx barely manages to look up at him, “why- why didn’t you listen?”

Taeil gives him a smile, one that doesn’t reach his eyes, “i’m sure you wouldn’t listen either if they told you to harm someone special to you..” his voice was hoarse, probably from screaming when he received his punishment.

“What..” Doyoung voices, and Taeil looks away from both of them.

“They wanted me to take over Jungwoo’s punishments for not listening to the jaguars…” he grimaced, staring down at Taeyong’s blouse, finding the lace on it far more interesting than anything else, “they wanted me to hurt him… and- Taeyong you have no idea how scared he looked when they asked me.”

Taeyong feels his heart squeeze when Taeil looks back at him, tears brimming the lynx’s eyes, “he looked so scared… he- he didn’t even look relieved when i declined, he didn’t- i wasn’t-” Taeil starts hyperventilating, feeling sobs build up in the back of his throat, and Taeyong runs a hand through his hair, hoping to distract the lynx as he shushed him softly.

“Taeil, it’s fine, please, you did a good thing for rejecting it but-but please calm down,” Taeyong says, biting the inside of his cheek, “the jaguars patrol the halls and if they hear you they’ll-”

“I don’t care what they do to me, Taeyong, they’ve done more than enough already,” Taeil cuts him off, moving his gaze up to look at the omega, “I would do anything to get Jungwoo out of here, I would do anything to make sure he never looks that scared again.”

“All of us would..” Taeyong says softly, leaning down to press his forehead against Taeil’s forehead, something he’s done to Minhyung to calm him down whenever he was upset.

It seems to have the same effect on Taeil, as he continues running his hand through the lynx’s hair, feeling Taeil settle into his hold, all tension leaving him as he listens to Taeyong’s gentle breathing.

“What about Donghyuck?” Doyoung asks suddenly, and Taeyong raises his head to look at the hare.

“What do you mean?” Taeyong asks. He’s been stuck in the room the past few days since Kun won’t let him leave, and he’s believed that Doyoung had known where Donghyuck was.

Taeil tenses in his hold, and Taeyong looks back at him, seeing the remorse swirling in Taeil’s eyes.

“Taeil..?” Taeyong mutters, and Taeil meets his gaze.

“They’ve kept him secluded, or.. More specifically, Jaehyun has… he’s waiting for Donghyuck’s first heat to hit…” Taeil says, and Taeyong feels the air get knocked out of him.

“He plans on.. Deflowering him… and permanently mating with him while Hyuck is under the heat’s influence,” Taeil explains.

“But-but he’s fourteen, his first heat won’t come for another few years,” Taeyong blinks back the tears in his eyes.

“He doesn’t want any other alpha to find Donghyuck and expect to be his mate, he-he’s gonna keep Hyuck locked up for as long as he needs to,” Taeil says, wincing slightly as Taeyong takes his hands away from his head.

“He’s a child, why would they do that to him?” Taeyong says, and Doyoung has to plant a firm hand on Taeyong’s thigh to keep him seated.

“Taeyong, you can’t leave the room, you know that,” Doyoung warns him, and Taeyong falters slightly as the hare keeps speaking, “you can’t start disobeying Kun, you know what he’ll do.”

Taeyong allows his hands to fall onto Taeil’s arm.

The wolf is silent for a moment, before he lets out a shaky sigh, “lets.. Let's just clean you up..” he says, gripping the lynx’s sleeve.


	6. Chapter 6

“How do you lose a fully grown wolf, Yukhei?” Kunhang exclaims as he searches the rooms of their house.

“I didn’t /lose/ him, he left me,” Yukhei clarifies, hoping it would get Kunhang to calm down, “maybe he just went to one of the shops.”

“You know he doesn’t have the courage to approach the shopkeepers after the last time, Hei,” Kunhang says, voice exasperated as he walks up to the moose, “you should've gone with him.’

“Kunhang, he’s twenty years old now, he isn’t fifteen anymore, he doesn’t need us looming over his shoulder,” Yukhei says, and there’s a brief moment of realization that shines across Kunhang’s gaze.

“Right, you’re right..” Kunhang shakes his head, running his hands through his hair, “yeah, you’re totally right, i have no idea why i’m acting like he does.”

“Because you care for him,” Yukhei pointed out, and he smirks when Kunhang immediately denies it, “aww you care for the little wolf you were so scared of at first.”

“I don’t /care/ for him, I just- I just don’t want the prey hybrids treating him like they did when he first arrived.”

Yukhei raises his brows slightly, “so you care for him.”

Kunhang opens his mouth to deny once more, but then the door opens, and he whips his head around in time to see Minhyung step inside.

“Minhyung! There you are!” kunhang says, making the wolf jump slightly, “where have you been? You can’t just walk off like-” he stops talking when he notices two figures standing behind Minhyung, and he feels his throat go dry.

“I’m twenty, and you’re still scared of letting me walk around, Kunhang?” Minhyung says, though he wasn’t annoyed, more amused than anything, “i’m back now though so you don’t have to be so worried. I brought guests as well, if you don’t mind.”

“Seoho! Keonhee! Nice to see you guys,” Yukhei greets the two fox hybrids behind Minhyung, who both smile back at him.

“Hey Yukhei,” Keonhee says, letting his gaze slide over to the squirrel beside him, “Kunhang, it’s been a while.”

“Uh, Yeah, definitely has,” Kunhang says, scratching at the back of his neck before unceremoniously looking over at the clock on the wall, “oh, would you look at that, time for me to go check on the food,” he says quickly, before rushing off to the kitchen.

“What was that about?” Minhyung asks with a raised brow, turning to look between the three males left in the room.

“It’s nothing, he’s just scared of me,” Keonhee says, waving his hand nonchalantly with an amused grin on his face, “not my fault he can’t handle foxes.”

“I never knew Kunhang was really scared of anyone, guess that’s one thing i have against him now,” Minhyung says, causing the four of them to laugh, “well, come in you two, stay for dinner, i’m sure Kunhang will enjoy it.”

“I’m in, I'm always up for messing with the little squirrel,” Seoho says, and Keonhee agrees as they step inside, and Minhyung closes the door behind them.

“You’ll fit right in with me and Yukhei then,” Minhyung says, kicking off his shoes.

***

Donghyuck watched as his mother knelt before Kun’s throne, head hanging, and silver hair looking dirty and greasy.

His heart hurt as he watched his mom flinch under Kun’s cruel tone, but he didn’t step up, unable to because of Jaehyun’s arm wrapped around his waist and keeping him firmly in place.

He wasn’t yet mated to the jaguar thankfully, but Jaehyun still had a claim over him unfortunately.

Yongqin made sure to let Donghyuck know that he was to be Jaehyun’s, no matter how much he fought, otherwise others would suffer because of him.

Speaking of the jaguar, the door opens, revealing Yongqin dressed in one of Taeyong’s outfits. He had taken the liberty of stealing all of Taeyong's clothing over the past few years, and it irked Donghyuck to no end, especially when he noticed that Yongqin was wearing the blouse that he and Jungwoo had gotten for the former king.

“What has he done this time, my love?” Yongqin’s voice bounces off the wall as he walks   
towards the thrones, purposefully bumping his leg into Jungwoo and forcing the arctic wolf to fall forward.

“He’s refused my offer to set him free,” Kun says, smiling as his eyes laid on his mate, the first time he’s smiled all morning.

“I am not going to leave the kingdom I grew up in,” Jungwoo didn’t sound like himself, nor did he look like himself, Donghyuck realizes as he pushes himself up back onto his knees.

His mother was much skinnier than he had been before, and bruises and cuts decorated the exposed skin he could see, it made his stomach flip and bile creep up the back of his throat.

He was the complete opposite of his mom, he was fed well, and no one laid a hand on him, well, other than Jaehyun, but even he made sure he never left a bad mark on the omega wolf.

“I wasn’t asking you,” Yongqin snarled, and Jungwoo barely flinched.

“I wasn’t talking to you either,” Jungwoo says, lip twitching in a snarl, but he resisted.

Instead, Jungwoo looks behind him, towards where he knows his son was standing, and Donghyuck could only hold his gaze for so long before his eyes widened as he looked up towards the throne.

The next thing Jungwoo feels is a shoe making contact with the side of his face, and he falls backwards, wincing as he holds the side of his head, looking up in time only for something to make contact with his ribs, making him wheeze.

“You insolent tramp!” Yongqin’s growl echoes through the room, “what gives you the right to talk back to me!” he exclaims, landing another hit to Jungwoo’s ribs.

“Sto-” Jungwoo is cut off as Yongqin’s fingers curl into his hair, pulling him up, and he yelps at the pain before the jaguar is pulling him towards the door, his grip in Jungwoo’s hair unrelenting and torturous.

Jungwoo feels the rug burn against the small of his back that was exposed, and tears spring from his eyes as he’s dragged across the floor.

“I’ll deal with him, Kun, you do what you need to do,” Yongqin says, loud enough for the entire room to hear amongst Jungwoo’s cries of pain, before the doors slam shut behind him, the only thing that was audible beyond the door was Jungwoo’s cries being dragged down the hall.

Donghyuck feels the overwhelming urge to pull away from Jaehyun’s grip and run after his mother, just as Jungwoo had done for him years prior, but he finds himself rooted into place, especially when Jaehyun’s nails dig into his hip, and he’s forced to look forward again.

“Tell me, Donghyuck, why is your mother so disobedient, yet you’re able to listen so perfectly?” Kun’s voice reaches his ears, and Donghyuck has to force down the glare that he so desperately wants to give Kun as he looks up at the wolf.

“I don’t know, sire,” Donghyuck says softly, but it’s loud enough for Kun to hear.

“How many times will we have to beat him into submission until he understands?” Kun says, before he’s waving his hand, dismissing the couple.

Jaehyun pulls Donghyuck with him out of the throne room, and Donghyuck avoids looking at the jaguar, instead looking out the windows, out where the village was.

It looked deserted, unlike how it was during Youngho’s reign.

Donghyuck hardly saw any of the villagers nowadays, if he ever had the chance to look outside.

Looking out at the village always hurt him though, because it reminds him of the last time he was actually able to see Minhyung, the young prince who he missed dearly.

The day they snuck out to the graveyard was a scary one, but Donghyuck held it close to his heart now, seeing as Minhyung just wanted to be brave in front of him.

He let out a soft sigh as he remembered running away from Doyoung, trying to not let out a small laugh at the memory, and he forced himself to look down at the floor.

It’s silent as Jaehyun leads him back to the room, but it’s broken by Donghyuck when he steps away from Jaehyun, and the jaguar looks at him, brows furrowing.

“Something wrong?”

“No, no, nothing’s wrong,” Donghyuck says, trying not to flinch when Jaehyun grabs his hands, “I just.. Would I be able to see Taeyong today?” he asks, and he bites the inside of his cheek when he sees Jaehyun squint his eyes.

“Why do you need to see him?” Jaehyun asks, grip tightening on Donghyuck’’s hands.

Donghyuck tries not to flinch under his gaze, “it’s just- it’s been a few weeks since you’ve last let me see him… and since I can't really talk to my own mother.. I-i thought it would be okay to talk for a bit..”

Jaehyun pokes his tongue against the inside of his cheek, before he nods, “alright, i don’t see why not. Both you and Taeyong have been on good behavior, I don't see any harm in it.”

Donghyuck has to force himself not to cringe when he pulls his hands away to cup Jaehyun's face, after all he had to keep up the loving facade he has going on around the jaguar, “after i’m done talking with him, i’ll come right back to you alright?” he says, and Jaehyun’s arms encircle the omega's waist.

“I’ll be waiting for your return then,” Jaehyun says, and presses a kiss to Donghyuck’s lips, which he reciprocates, before they pull apart, and Donghyuck walks off.

Once he turns the corner of the hall and is out of jaehyun’s line of sight, he’s running towards Minhyung’s old room, where Taeyong still resides.

He reaches the door, and knocks while trying to regain his breathing, and finally, /finally/, he allows the tears to leave his eyes.

The door opens, and as soon as he sees Taeyong's worried gaze, his legs give out, and he ends up in Taeyong’s arms.

“Hyuckie? be careful, Hyuck, what happened?” Taeyong says, helping the young wolf into the room with care, his arm wrapped protectively around Donghyuck’s waist.

“They’re-they’re so mean to mother,” Donghyuck hiccups, sobbing into Taeyong’s chest, “i-i was there while Kun was talking to him, Yongqin hurt him and-” Donghyuck sobs even harder, and Taeyong leads him over to the bed.

“Shh, it’s okay, baby, it’s okay,” Taeyong says, running a gentle hand through Donghyuck’s silver strands, holding the younger male close to him, “your mother is strong, he can get through this.”

“But-but what if he can’t?” Donghyuck sniffs, “he-he looked so weak Taeyong, you- you haven’t seen him in a while, so trust me when i say he already looks dead.”

Taeyong doesn’t respond as the omega keeps crying, shaking violently in his hold.

“Just.. believe in him, Hyuckie… he needs you to believe in him right now…” Taeyong mutters, and Donghyuck tries to calm his sobs down, pulling away from Taeyong’s chest to rub and wipe at his eyes.

“Hyuckie,” Taeyong’s voice is soft as he speaks, “you need to be strong for him…”

“I know..” Donghyuck breathes, “I have to…”

They fall into silence then as Donghyuck tries to calm himself down, and while Taeyong runs a hand up and down his back.

Once Donghyuck’s hands fall to his lap, and he’s more or less done crying, the silence is finally broken.

“I’m gonna run away.”

“Run away?” Taeyong echoes, looking at the omega with confusion, “why?”

“We need help here, Taeyong. Kun and Yongqin can’t reign over our kingdom like this, there’s hardly anyone walking out in the village anymore, and who knows if there are still animals in the forest.” Donghyuck says, standing up from the bed, and Taeyong follows as the younger walks over to the window.

“I’m going to get help.” Donghyuck says, looking out at the empty streets of the village below.

“But-but what about your mom? And Taeil? Doyoung even? Donghyuck, you know their lives lay in our hands, anything we do can reflect badly on them.”

“Then… then we’ll just have to hope I'm back in time.” Donghyuck says, turning to look at the former king, “I promise you, Taeyong, I will not let this kingdom die at the hands of those assholes, especially when Youngho is fighting to stay alive everyday..”

Taeyong bites at his bottom lip slightly, looking back at the alpha that still laid in Minhyung’s bed, looking peaceful in his sleep as he breathed.

He had been in a coma for the past years, and he hasn’t woken up at all. Taeyong is surprised he’s held on this long, but he’s happy Youngho is doing well. All Taeyong needs to do is be on good behavior so that Kun stays away from Youngho and not harm him for Taeyong’s wrong doing.

“Taeyong, trust me as you would have trusted Taeil or Doyoung, please,” Donghyuck says, placing his hands on the older’s shoulders, “i’m not a weak pup any more, i can hold my own out there,” Donghyuck says, and he sees Taeyong’s eyes get glossy as tears brim the corners of them, “i’ll be leaving tonight after Jaehyun leaves for patrol.”

“How are you gonna get past them?”

“There’s still those old hidden pathways that me and Minhyung used to play around in when we were younger, none of the jaguars know of those as far as I know,” Donghyuck answers as he walks back to the door, and Taeyong follows him once more.

“Please be safe then,” Taeyong says, and Donghyuck hugs him tight, one last time before he leaves the room, the door closing behind him.

***

Donghyuck lay in bed that night, with Jaehyun pressed against his back, a possessive arm around his stomach under the silk nightgown he wore.

His skin burned where the jaguar touched, but he ignored it, in favor of pretending to be asleep when the door opened, and the light from the hallway shines into the room and onto his face.

Donghyuck pretends to look like he was disrupted, and he flips himself over to shove his face in Jaehyun’s chest, to which the alpha holds him closer.

“Jaehyun,” Jeno’s voice rings through the room, and the jaguar in question growls low in his throat, “it’s time for you to start patrolling.”

Jaehyun doesn’t budge, and Donghyuck has to hold back from shoving him off the bed.

“Jaehyun,” Jeno repeats, “I don't want to have Kun on my ass for not getting you up, now come on, you can come back to your arm candy later,” he says, and proceeds to walk over to the bed.

“I’m not arm candy,” Donghyuck mutters in a low slurred tone, hoping to make it seem like he just woke up.

“Sure you’re not,” Jeno says, and Donghyuck can tell he’s rolling his eyes, “Jaehyun, come /on/.”

“Alright, alright,” Jaehyun groans, pulling away from Donghyuck and pushing the covers off of himself, before getting up to put on a shirt and his shoes.

He leaves the room a moment later, leaving Donghyuck shrouded in darkness once more.

He waits, maybe around five minutes, before he slides out of the bed.

Instead of leaving in the nightgown he was wearing, he pulls the outfit he had picked earlier, and changes into it.

It was tighter clothing than he was used to, so it took him a moment to actually get used to the feeling, before he hurried over to the corner of the room where a bookshelf sat in front of him.

He sighs softly as he runs his fingers over the books, before he’s pushing a red one farther into the shelf, and the piece of furniture slides against the wall, revealing a tunnel behind it, lit only by one torch.

“Thank you Youngho for making these things quiet,” he mutters before he ducks inside the tunnel, and the shelf moves back into place.

***

“You know, it wouldn’t kill you to get books that didn’t have happy endings,” Keonhee says, looking through the small bookshelf located in the living room, “they get boring after a while.”

“I like happy endings, besides, Minhyung and Yukhei don’t read as much as I do so I never have to get books that fit their standards.” Kunhang says, arms crossed over his chest as he watches the fox go through his books.

“We never read because you don’t bring books we like,” Minhyung says, a half eaten cookie in his hand as he leans against Seoho on the couch.

“Maybe i’d get you books if you told me what kind of books you like,” Kunhang huffs, and Minhyung rolls his eyes.

“I’ve been asking for books for the past five years, Kunhang, you just never let me get the ones i want.”

“Kunhang doesn’t want you tarnishing his happy ending collection with whatever books you guys get,” Seoho says, chuckling slightly, “he always did believe in happy endings and he doesn’t let anything deter him.”

“Is it so bad to stay optimistic in situations like-” Kunhang stops abruptly when the door is pushed open, and slammed shut by a familiar moose.

“Yukhei?” Minhyung asks, looking up at the moose who looked a little disheveled.

“Uh hey guys, are you aware of the new wolf in the village?” Yukhei says, trying to breathe normally once more, “he’s like, growling at everyone in sight.”

“Wolf?” Minhyung echoes and he gets up from his seat, before pushing Yukhei out of the way of the door and opening it.

“Minhyung, wait,” Kunhang starts but the wolf is already gone.

He can’t blame Minhyung for going so quickly, he was the only wolf within the entire village, it’s understandable that he’d want to see someone who is of the same species as him.

Kunhang, Keonhee, Seoho and Yukhei poke their heads out the door, in time to see Minhyung step in front of a tanned boy, white ears on his head and a white tail behind him, silver strands covering his forehead.

Minhyung looks frozen as the new wolf steps closer to him, and Kunhang faintly notices how Minhyung’s tail tucks itself between his legs, and how his ears flatten against the back of his skull.

It comes as a shock to them when the new wolf practically throws himself into minhyung’s arms, and they tumble to the ground with the force of it.

Instead of viciously attacking each other like how Yukhei had thought they would, they stayed on the ground, with the new wolf in Minhyung’s lap, curled up against him, and with Minhyung’s arms wrapped around him, his face hidden in the male’s shoulder.

Kunhang and Yukhei share a quick glance with each other, before they hesitantly step out of the house, walking towards the duo on the ground. Keonhee and Seoho stay by the door, unsure if they should step forward too or not.

It appears Kunhang and Yukhei weren’t as quiet as they thought they were, because the new wolf looks up at them, and bares his teeth, making both of them freeze.

Minhyung turns his head to look at them, and with a short laugh, he looks back at the wolf on top of him, “calm down, Hyuck, they’re friendly,” he says, and they both stand up.

“Kunhang, Yukhei, this is Donghyuck, my oldest and best friend,” Minhyung introduces, but Kunhang can tell that by the way Minhyung is staring at the new wolf that there was something else there.

“That hurts,” Kunhang says, crossing his arms.

Minhyung grins when Donghyuck looks at him, “you have to take a look around the village Hyuck, you’d love it here.”

“Minhyung, is this where you’ve been this entire time?” the white wolf, Donghyuck, says, ignoring Minhyung’s words.

“Well.. yeah,” Minhyung says, rubbing at the back of his head.

Donghyuck goes quiet, and the three males can see how quickly the calmness in his eyes boils into anger, and he’s shoving Minhyung, “we thought you were dead, Minhyung! We had buried an empty casket because of what that damned uncle of yours had said!”

Kunhang and Yukhei let out confused noises, and Minhyung pays them no mind.

“I’m sorry about that but you weren’t there in the gorge that day, you don’t understand why i left-”

“I don't care why you left! I just want you to come back, the kingdom is overrun by jaguars, and Kun and Yongqin have taken the thrones all because you weren’t there.”

“Thrones?” Yukhei questions, and Minhyung ignores him, but not Donghyuck.

“He’s the crown prince of Greenwood, son of Suh Youngho and Taeyong.” Donghyuck says, not removing his gaze from Minhyung’s remorseful frame.

“Crown prince? Then we should be kneeling, shouldn't we?” Kunhang says, glancing over at Yukhei.

MInhyung shakes his head, “relax, i’m not prince, crowned or not.”

“Minhyung, you have to come back… our mothers are suffering..” Donghyuck says, and Minhyung avoids looking at him

“I’m sorry, I can't go back there..” Minhyung crosses his arms over his chest, and Donghyuck scoffs.

“You’re just gonna turn your back on your kingdom? Minhyung, your father is barely alive, I don't want the kingdom to suffer the same fate.”

“It suffered that same fate in the gorge along with him that day, Hyuck,” Minhyung says, before he’s turning and walking off, and out of sheer annoyance, the young white wolf follows him.

“Minhyung! Do not turn your back on me!” Donghyuck shouts after him, and the two wolves walk away, leaving Kunhang and Yukhei behind.

“What if- what if Minhyung changes his mind about not going?” Yukhei voices after a few silent seconds.

“If he chooses to go, we’ll let him, Hei,” Kunhang says, and though it hurt him the way it hurts Yukhei, he doesn’t let it show, “Like you said before, he’s twenty now, not fifteen. He can make his own decisions.”


	7. Chapter 7

“Minhyung will- will you listen to me for a second!” Donghyuck says, rushing forward to grab the older wolf’s wrist, “don’t ignore me, Minnie.”

Minhyung freezes at the nickname, but he doesn’t turn to look at the arctic wolf, feeling he may break down if he meets Donghyuck’s eyes.

“Please just… just give me five minutes… and if.. If you still don’t want to come back then-” Donghyuck’s voice shakes as he sniffs slightly, “then i’ll return to the kingdom… and leave you alone. I won’t, nor can’t force you to come with me.”

Minhyung feels Donghyuck’s hand loosen on his wrist, and he finally forces himself to face the younger male, still avoiding his gaze though.

“Five minutes..” he repeats, and he barely sees Donghyuck nod.

“Min..” the white wolf starts, “ever since that day… the kingdom hasn’t been the same. I’m sure you heard me mention how Kun and Yongqin had taken over…” Minhyung nods, that had been one of the things he heard Hyuck mention a moment earlier.

“They. .they’ve ruined the kingdom, Min. the economy has gone to shit, the forest is dying, you don’t see any villagers anymore, nor do you see any animals…” Donghyuck says, and his hand falls from Minhyung’s wrist completely as he wraps his arms around himself, “the kingdom is overrun by jaguars and what's left of your father’s guards, who.. Might I add switched over to Kun’s side…”

“Maybe the jaguars are trying to keep the villagers safe by keeping them inside…” Minhyung tried to reason, but even he didn’t believe himself.

“We both know that’s not it…” Donghyuck’s voice was low, still shaking as he tried to hold himself together, “you haven’t even heard the worst part, Minhyung.”

“What could be worse than the jaguars roaming the street?” Minhyung asks, voice barely above a mutter as he stared at the ground.

“Doyoung is being kept in the dungeon, where the jaguars…” Donghyuck’s voice breaks slightly, and he squeezes his arms slightly as he keeps himself together, “where Yongqin allows the jaguars to do what they want with him…”

Minhyung knows Donghyuck wants to say more, so he stays silent as Donghyuck tries to find his voice again.

“Taeil… god, the things they do to him… he’ll be wearing those cuts and scars for the rest of his life… if he even makes it out of this alive…” Donghyuck says, and Minhyung can practically hear the tears that Donghyuck wants to let free, “my mom isn’t doing much better… Yongqin seems to find anything he can to hurt him… they give him one meal every two week… Yongqin says the only reason he’s still alive is because of me.”

“Because of you..?” Minhyung’s echoes, and Donghyuck hums softly.

“His life lies in my hands apparently… so if i act out.. He’s as good as dead…” Donghyuck says, and Minhyung hears a soft hiccup coming from the wolf as tears start flowing down his cheeks, “which- which he probably is now… they don’t know i left…”

Minhyung feels his own heart break as he listens, and he barely musters the courage up to ask about his own mother, feeling his throat go dry as the words leave him.

“And my mom?”

“Locked away in your old room… Kun doesn’t want the guards or anyone to see how upset and emotionally distressed he obviously is so he’s locked away every hour of the day. I overheard him arguing with Yongqin one day and Taeil and Doyoung were both harmed because of it..” Donghyuck adds on, wiping at his face, “I can't imagine how he feels knowing that two people’s lives rely on his actions.”

“They’ve obviously treated you well… what, are you Kun’s concubine or something...?” Minhyung says, the words leaving a bitter taste on his tongue.

He sees Donghyuck stiffen slightly next to him, “actually… I'm carrying a jaguar’s child.”

Minhyung’s head shoots up, eyes wide as Donghyuck avoids looking at him, arms wrapped protectively around his stomach.

“What..? you-you slept with the enemy? What the fuck, Hyuck, what were you thinking?” Minhyung says, posturing himself for a reason he didn’t know of now that he can finally piece together whatever that scent was that was clinging to Donghyuck.

Donghyuck recoils slightly, arms tightening around his stomach, “I didn't want to! I would’ve preferred being in my mother’s place than sleeping with him!” he exclaims, fear in his eyes as Minhyung doesn’t step away, “i-i did it so Yongqin would leave our parents alone, Minhyung! He was gonna let the jaguars get our mothers if i didn’t listen to Jaehyun!”

At that, Minhyung furrows his brows, “Jaehyun? Really? He’s hardly worthy of being a father of your child.”

“That’s something we both agree on then… but, Yongqin allowed him to put a claim over me… i’m not mated to him yet, but i know he’s desperate to finalize everything with the bite… especially now that he knows i’m carrying his bloodline.”

Minhyung loses all the anger in his body when he hears exactly how broken and scared Donghyuck sounded.

“Do you see why we need the rightful king back? Do you see why we need you back, Minhyung?” Donghyuck says, moving to step closer to the older wolf, “the kingdom isn’t where it should be at all… i’m not where I should be,” he adds, lifting a hand to cup one of Minhyung’s cheeks gently.

“Trust me when I say this Donghyuck,” Minhyung starts, placing his own hand over Donghyuck’s as he maintains eye contact with the omega, “but i don’t know if i can go back.. That day in the gorge… Kun said… he said some things that made a lot of sense which is the reason I ran.”

“What kind of things did he say that made you leave us to suffer?”

“He said-” Minhyung glances away and feels his chest grow tight as he recalls the exact words the man he used to consider family had said to him, “he said that no one would want a murderer as a king, nor as a son.”

“But… you aren’t a murderer…” Donghyuck says, voice growing soft, almost quiet.

“I’m the one that was stuck in the gorge, I'm the reason my dad was killed by the stampede.”

Donghyuck falls quiet, watching how Minhyung’s shoulders slump slightly, and the older wolf’s skin turns pale at the memory, his hand tightening slightly around the younger’s..

“I’m the reason he’s dead.”

“Minhyung,” Donghyuck says, moving his other hand to hold Minhyung’s face properly, “you probably won’t believe me, but your father, he isn’t dead.”

Minhyung swallows dryly as he returns his gaze to the omega, gaze holding something mixed between shock and relief.

“He’s not?”

“No, he’s alive, sort of,” Donghyuck mutters slightly, “he’s been in a coma since that day from what I've heard.”

“He’s fighting to stay alive everyday, and you need to be there when he wakes up, Minhyung,” Donghyuck says, and he moves his arms to wrap around Minhyung’s shoulders, and holding the older wolf close to himself, “come back with me and we can stop Kun’s reign, we can save my mom and your parents, Doyoung and Taeil too.”

Minhyung searches Donghyuck’s eyes, feeling anxiety filter through his veins as he lets the words sink in. He's scared to return, after all, who wouldn’t be?

He had been considered dead for five years, who knows how everyone would react to seeing his face again so suddenly.

He knows Donghyuck can read what he’s thinking, because the omega lets out something similar to a whimper and it forces him to meet Donghyuck’s gaze again.

“Please, Minhyung….? Don’t disappear on me again..”

Minhyung is silent for a moment, eyes flicking around Donghyuck’s face and actually allows himself to see how much the omega had grown and gone through while he was gone, and he grew up well, despite the few scars that he notices across Donghyuck’s cheekbone.

His chest tightens again when he notices the small bump of Donghyuck’s belly pressing against his, and he can’t find it in himself to leave the omega again.

“I won’t..” Minhyung says, voice hardly above a whisper, but Donghyuck hears it, “i won’t disappear, i won’t hurt you or our kingdom anymore…” he adds on, and he only notices as the last word leaves him, how close Donghyuck’s lips were to his, and he’s tempted to get rid of the gap suddenly, but he refrains.

He moves to pull away, but Donghyuck refuses to let him go, only pulling him closer until their lips touch, and the world around them fades away as they melt against each other, arms wrapped around the other, paying attention to nothing else but one another.

***

“Where is he?” Jaehyun asks, opening the door to Taeyong’s room open, startling the omega wolf slightly.

“Where is who?” Taeyong tilts his head, dropping the book he was reading onto the bed as he stands up.

Jaehyun seemed calm, even if his eyes did hold a bit of worry.

“Donghyuck, where is he?” Jaehyung repeated, stepping towards the omega.

“Why do you think I would know?” Taeyong says, fidgeting with his fingers.

“You were the only other person to speak with him, other than me… i have no other leads..” Jaehyun answers, and Taeyong notices the way he tenses slightly, “he’s pregnant with my child, i have a right to worry about him and where he is.”

“If i knew where he was, i would tell you, Jaehyun, but i’m afraid i don’t know,” Taeyong says, biting the inside of his cheek as he barely glances out the window, “i’m sorry.”

Jaehyun sighs softly, and Taeyong still doesn’t see an ounce of anger in him, before the alpha scoffs slightly.

“Maybe he finally gave up the act and left.”

“Huh?” Taeyong furrows his brows, and Jaehyun shakes his head slightly.

Jaehyun runs a hand through his hair and even if Taeyong rarely sees the alpha, he knows that's a habit that Jaehyun does when he’s stressed, “he… he didn’t say anything to you yesterday? When he came to see you?”

Taeyong will never admit that he felt a teensy bit of dread fill his tummy when he notices how defeated the jaguar looks, but he can’t let his walls fall for him.

“No, he didn’t say anything, if i knew he would leave, i would do anything to stop him.”

He sees the way Jaehyun’s shoulders sag in defeat as he nods, bowing his head ever so slightly, “well.. Thank you for the help then.”

“Anytime,” Taeyong replies softly, before Jaehyun leaves the room.

Jaehyun allowed the door to shut behind him, rubbing his face slightly as he tried to calm himself down, already knowing he must reek of fear.

He raises his head to start walking again, only to jump back against the door slightly upon seeing Jeno.

“Ah- Je-Jeno, you scared me,” he says, lowering his raised arm. He really needs to get a grip on himself.

Jeno looks at him with furrowed brows, looking the older jaguar up and down, “why were you in Taeyong’s room?”

“Huh?” Jaehyun blinks, before glancing back at the door behind him, “oh, uh, i was just asking him something really quick.”

“Asking what?”

“Why’s it matter to you?”

Jeno crosses his arms, not at all falling for the act Jaehyun is trying to keep up. “You know your arm candy is missing right?”

“Is-is he? I swore he was in the room last I checked.”

“Are you gonna let Kun and Yongqin know?” Jeno tilts his head, and Jaehyun instinctively finds him shaking his own, “why not?”

Jaehyun bites the inside of his cheek, “Because then his mother will get hurt again.”

“They need to know, so either I tell them, or you do.”

“Jeno, please, don’t.” Jaehyun asks, already knowing he looks pathetic as hell.

“Sorry, Jae, rules are rules,” Jeno says, before he’s walking towards the throne room.

***

“What do you mean gone?” Yongqin asks from his seat in Kun’s lap, his gaze trained on Jaehyun and Jeno who stood in front of them.

“He was there in bed when I left for patrol, and I locked the door too to make sure he stayed in,” Jaehyun starts, hoping he doesn’t look as tense as he feels, “but when I returned to my room an hour ago from my patrol, he wasn’t there. I searched the kingdom grounds but I can't find him.”

Yongqin snarls slightly.

“Did you check behind the bookshelf?” Kun asks suddenly, and Jeno furrows his brows this time, resulting in Kun rolling his eyes, “geez, how small minded are you people? Did you forget that Youngho had children running around here? There are tunnels running throughout the household that he had implemented just for them.”

Jeno’s mouth falls open in surprise.

“Donghyuck was probably gone for a while,” Kun said, leaning his head in his hand, “bring his mother out of the cell. If Donghyuck doesn’t return in three hours, kill him. He’s of no use to us anymore if Donghyuck is gone.”

Jaehyun and Jeno both bow once the order is given, “yes sir,” and they both leave - Jaehyun walking a little slower than Jeno - the throne room, and head down to the dungeons.

“You think the tramp’s son would actually return?” Yongqin asks, once the door is closed.

“He knows his mother’s life is on the line, he wouldn’t stay away for too long knowing that,” Kun answers, setting his hand on Yongqin’s thigh as he speaks.

“It’d be easier if he stayed away, it would be two less vermins for us to deal with,” Yongqin says, moving to run his fingers through Kun’s hair, “wouldn’t that be better?”

“It would be,” Kun says, smiling as Yongqin shifts on his lap until he has his knees on either side of Kun’s hips, “but then of course, Jaehyun and your jaguars would get bored without their playmates there. You know they get bored of playing with the rabbit after a while.”

“That is true,” Yongqin says, sighing slightly as he does, “but they’ll survive.”

***

“So you’re just gonna leave? That fast?” Yukhei asks, looking like a kicked puppy as Minhyung packed a small bag of things while Donghyuck waited by the door.

“I’m sorry, Hei…” Minhyung says, looking up at the moose as he does, “I have no choice, especially if I wanna help Hyuck save his mom in time.”

“I get that, It’s just… it’ll be weird without you being here… I mean, who’s gonna help me mess with Kunhang everyday?”

Minhyung smiles sadly at the older male, before he’s pulling him into a hug, angling his head enough to not knock against Yukhei’s antlers, “just… go back to how you two were before i came in..”

“That’ll be extremely hard to do…” Yukhei says, just as Minhyung pulls away, “but i’ll try.”

Minhyung reassures him with a soft pat against his arm, before the smile on his face drops when he looks down the hall at Kunhang’s door, “is he…?”

“He doesn’t wanna see you go..” Yukhei answers, and Minhyung sighs softly, nodding.

“I understand…”

“I don’t want to cut your goodbyes short, guys,” Donghyuck says, and both the alphas look at him, “but i’m on a time limit if you didn’t remember.”

“Right, sorry, Hyuckie,” Minhyung apologizes, before hesitantly looking back at Yukhei, “tell Kunhang i said bye okay?” Once he receives a nod in return, he slings the bag in his hand over his shoulder and leaves the house behind, trailing after Donghyuck.

He doesn’t dare to look back, knowing that Yukhei was standing right there at the doorway, watching him leave.

“I’m sorry for disrupting your life here, Min… in all honesty, I had no idea this village existed, nor that you were in it…” Donghyuck says as they walk down the trail that Minhyung assumed the omega wolf had taken.

“I didn’t know it existed either… Yukhei and Kunhang found me somewhere in the desert and brought me here so I had no idea where I was.”

“What did you do these past few years? This is a prey filled village, I'm sure they weren’t exactly fond of you..” Donghyuck says, and Minhyung lets out a sigh, smiling softly at his early memories.

“No they weren’t, they don’t take too kindly to people with sharp teeth,” Minhyung says, and he barely sees Donghyuck smile in the corner of his eyes, “i had stayed in Yukhei’s and Kunhang’s place the entire first year i was here because no one would talk to me, it was kinda funny seeing Kunhang tell all the hybrids that insulted me to back off.”

“I figured that out when everyone ran into their homes when I arrived,” Donghyuck says, and they both let out soft laughs at the image.

They fall into a comfortable silence, and once they reach the end of the village, Minhyung lets out a shaky breath, “let’s go home then,” he says, before they both shift, and just when they’re about to leave, they hear hurried footsteps coming up behind them, and turn.

Minhyung gawks slightly when he sees a moose rushing after them with a small squirrel clutching onto his antlers.

“Yukhei? Kunhang?” Minhyung questions as the moose stops beside him.

“We’re coming with you,” Kunhang says, leaving no room for any argument.

“I- you know we’re going to a place where a bunch of predators live right?”

“Don’t care, we’re going, you crawled into our lives, and we are never letting you go.” Kunhang replies sternly.

Minhyung sighs when he realizes the two are serious, sparing a small apologetic glance towards Donghyuck as he does.

“Fine, but keep up. We’re on a time crunch right now and we can’t be waiting for you,” Minhyung says, and Yukhei gives a curt nod, before they begin their journey home, all four of them remaining completely unaware of the two figures trailing behind them.

***

Kun watches through one of the doors as Jaehyun and Jeno chain Jungwoo onto the wooden platform that stands in the center of the dungeon.

They don’t want this to be seen by the villagers, so Kun had told them to deal with Jungwoo in the center of the dungeons, where Doyoung and Taeil would have the perfect view of watching their fellow omega suffer through his final moments.

“Please, Kun,” Doyoung’s voice is weak and hoarse as he calls to the wolf, “don’t do this, Jungwoo’s done nothing wrong to you, he’s never hurt you purposefully,” his voice shakes as he speaks, proving just how exhausted and overwhelmed he was.

Kun stares at the hare, who struggles to stand on wobbly legs as he holds onto the unkept cell bars of the dungeon cell. He looked weak, weaker than he had before Kun started his reign.

The jaguars worked him over edge who knows how many times, Kun’s honestly surprised none of them have knocked him up with how much they all use him, maybe that was just a perk of being as small as Doyoung was.

“I don’t remember saying you can speak. If you want, why don’t you join him since you think you can speak out of place.”

Doyoung’s eyes widened, a split second of fear swimming through his eyes as a hand shoots up to cover his throat, and he’s shaking his head not a moment later, ears falling down against his head as he backs up.

“That’s what i thought,” Kun said, sending a small glare at the omega, before looking back to the jaguars and Jungwoo.

Jungwoo wasn’t fighting it, like they had originally thought he would be.

He allowed Jeno to tie some rope around his wrists, and for Jaehyun to do the same, though hesitantly, around his ankles, and he sat there on the floor of the wooden platform, looking as dead as he was going to once Donghyuck’s time was up.

“How does it feel knowing your son, the child you had bore, left you for dead, Kim?” Yongqin taunts from the door before he walks over to the weakened omega, the fight in him almost gone completely as he raises his head to meetYongqin’s gaze.

“My son,” Jungwoo starts, and Yongqin feels a soft smile of satisfaction cross his face as anger slowly swirls into Jungwoo’s eyes once more, “my son is safe, as long as he’s not under your reign no more, i don’t give a damn what you do to me. Beat me, hurt me, do whatever you want, you vile bitch.”

Kun watched as Yongqin’s lips pulled back in a snarl, before a loud smack resonated throughout the room, before a thud shortly followed it.

Yongqin rubs at the palm of his hand slightly as he watches Jungwoo struggle to process what has happened, feeling proud of the red print marking Jungwoo’s cheek now.

“After all this time, you still have quite the mouth on you,” Yongqin growls, leaning against the platform to grab at Jungwoo’s silver hair and pull the younger omega closer to him, “give up already.”

“I don’t give up,” Jungwoo growls in return, before he’s thrown back onto the wood, wincing when his head hits the floor below him.

“You sent Hwanwoong and Youngjo to retrieve Taeyong, correct?” Yongqin asked, averting his attention over to Kun, who nodded in return, “good,” the jaguar replies, before looking over at Doyoung and Taeil, who still watched the display in front of them, noticing Taeil’s stone cold glare on him as he smirks, “we’ll hang him once his former king is here to watch.”

“Wai-wait,” Doyoung speaks again, blatantly ignoring the warning glare that Kun sends his way, “Donghyuck still- he still has half an hour to come back, that’s not fair!” he exclaims, dread filtering through him as Kun steps closer to his cell.

“We’re tired of waiting, Kim, i’d say respect that,” Kun says, and Doyoung shakes in place, neck aching as he looks up at the alpha, now wishing he wasn’t as short as he was, knowing that when he attempts to return the glare, it doesn’t look as threatening as he would’ve wanted it to be.

Kun lets out a soft snort at his pathetic attempt of scaring him, “don’t try acting all big now, rabbit,” he says, and the smile that he had on his face disappears just as fast as it came, “remember that you're on death row just as much as he is,” he adds, looking over his shoulder at Jungwoo who had been pulled away from Yongqin by Jaehyun.

Doyoung doesn’t have enough time to look over at the omega, before one of the jaguars comes rushing into the room, and Kun and Yongqin both turn to look at him.

“Youngjo? I thought you were with Hwanwoong?” Yongqin asked, and the jaguar shook his head before he shifts and he leaned against the doorframe,

“I-i was your highness, but-but I heard Youngho’s guards talking,” he said between breaths, and Yongqin tilts his head as he walks over.

“Talking about what, Youngjo?”

“They-” Youngjo straightened himself as Yongqin stood only a few feet away from him, “they believe they saw the runaway around the village, he was- he was apparently accompanied by someone-”

“Spit it out already, Youngjo,” Yongqin snarls, and it makes the jaguar stiffen.

“They believe they saw the king’s son with the runaway.”

“Minhyung? Impossible, Jaehyun and Jeno killed him,” Yongqin says, looking back at the men in question, who only avoided his gaze.

Yongqin felt his temper grow, hands clenched into fists at his side, before he looked back at Youngjo.

“Get Taeyong,” Yongqin says, an evil smile making its way onto his face, “Minhyung should be able to see his mother in his final moments after all this time, shouldn’t he?” he says, before he moves, bumping his shoulder harshly against Youngjo’s as he walks by, and making the jaguar hiss slightly in pain.


	8. Chapter 8

Kun watched from the front doors of the castle as two figures approached, one of the figures being just a bit shorter than the other.

As they got closer, Kun had to force his mind to focus on the taller male, noticing that the way he walked and carried himself to be familiar, one he had seen from behind for so long.

He forces himself to look up at the wolf’s face, recognizing certain features that his brother’s face had held when he was alive, and he finds himself smirking slightly when the man stops just a few feet from him.

“Minhyung, it’s good to see you alive and well,” Kun says, noticing the glare that both of the males were sending him.

“I really do wish i could say the same about you, Kun,” Minhyung says, crossing his arms.

“I’m surprised you found him, Donghyuck,” Kun says, not sparing a glance at the omega, “i figured the jaguars would’ve gotten him in that very gorge his father nearly died in.”

“For someone who hates him, you sure bring Youngho up a lot,” Donghyuck comments, not flinching away from the glare Kun sends his way.

“He’s my brother, you expect me not to bring him up?”

“A brother that you betrayed, Kun,” Minhyung growls, irises glowing a familiar yellow color that Kun recognized easily, “you betrayed your own flesh and blood, you have no right to even speak of him.”

“Well, there’s always going to be someone like that in your life, isn’t there?” Kun says with a knowing smirk, noticing the slight falter of Minhyung snarl, “I'm that person in your life, aren't I, Minhyung?”

“It isn’t betrayal if i was never on your side in the first place.”

“But I'm your flesh and blood,” Kun reminds him, “it’s betrayal either way,” he adds and it's Donghyuck’s turn to growl, pushing himself in front of Minhyung.

“Back off, Kun,” the omega growls, and Kun has to hold himself back from laughing.

“You’re lucky you’re holding Jaehyun’s kid, skank, otherwise i would deal with you myself.” Kun growls, hands clenched into fists at his side.

“Do what you want, I don't want this child growing inside me anyway.” Donghyuck glowered, baring his teeth at the alpha.

“That wouldn’t be very fun now would it? You should deal with what was made of you on your own,” Kun says, and before Donghyuck could send another snappy remark his way, the doors open behind the older male.

Yongqin walks out, and over to the trio with a smile on his face, “Minhyung,” he says, irritation floating in his eyes and twisting into his voice, “glad to see you after all these years, you’ve grown up well.”

“Save your fake ass compliments for your shitty mate will you?” Donghyuck snaps, and it makes Yongqin step towards him, only to be held back by a firm grip on his elbow.

“Not yet, my love,” Kun says, and Donghyuck rolls his eyes as Yongqin seems to calm in his grip, “let him insult me, we can deal with him after we give Minhyung his reward for returning to the kingdom in one piece.”

“Reward?” Minhyung repeats, and Kun barely sends him a glance, before he looks back at the doors and snaps his fingers, and it doesn’t take long for two jaguars, ones that Minhyung had never met, to walk out, dragging out a struggling omega in between them.

Minhyung recognizes the omega immediately though.

“Mom?” he says, and before he knows it, he’s pushing past Kun and Yongqin, rushing over to the small group as tears well up in his eyes, “mom!”

The omega reacts by twisting wildly in the jaguars’ grips, eyes widening upon seeing the familiar wolf, “Minhyung!”

“Let go of him!” Minhyung growls at the jaguars, who both pull away from the omega wolf, letting him fall to the floor with a faint thud.

Minhyung growls until the jaguars are farther away, and then he proceeds to help his mother off the floor before arms wrap around his neck, and he’s pulled into a hug.

“Minhyung! Oh, my son, is it really you?” Taeyong says, voice shaking as he pulls away from the hug to look over Minhyung’s face, tears streaming down his face as he takes in how much the alpha wolf had grown, “my baby, it is you,” he sobs, pulling the young male closer once more.

“Oh how i’ve missed you, Minhyungie, i-i was so scared when i heard the news, i-i wish i went with you, maybe i-”

Minhyung shushes his mother’s rambling, by tightening the hug slightly, “mom, it’s fine,” his voice is impeccably soft, “i missed you too,” he says, managing to keep himself as calm as possible, finally feeling like he can relax in the safety of his mother’s arms once more.

“Not that this isn’t heartwarming in the slightest, I believe Donghyuck is waiting for something that’s very important to him,” Kun says, and Taeyong and Minhyung looked over at the arctic wolf that stood with a rigid spine in front of Yongqin.

“Right,” Yongqin said, a menacing smile taking over his features, “i’m sure the tramp misses his favorite offspring,” he says, before turning and walking into the castle, with the rest of them following.

“Stop calling him that! And I'm his only child, I don't know what you mean by favorite,” Donghyuck says, storming after the jaguar, while the last three followed.

“You sure about that, Donghyuck?” Yongqin says, and it only strives to piss Donghyuck off even more as he trails after the jaguar.

“Minhyung, where were you this entire time?” Taeyong’s voice is gentle, but it’s enough for Minhuyng to hear the worry in his tone.

“The outlands, I stayed with a bunch of prey hybrids the past few years.”

“Outlands?” Taeyong questions quietly, “I forgot those even existed…”

“So you and dad did know about them at one point?” Minhyung asks, remembering his first meeting with Kunhang and Yukhei.

They didn’t recognize his last name, nor give much of a reaction when Donghyuck exposed him as crown prince.

“Me and your father did, yes… but we never… We never spoke of it, nor did we visit. In fact, it was your great grandfather who knew of it and established it nearly a hundred years ago.”

“Huh.. no wonder the Suh name holds barely any meaning over there.”

“Yeah, we don’t exactly make it into their history books,” Taeyong says softly, and Minhyung hums in response.

“I’m surprised Youngho told you about the outlands, Taeyong, no omega who married into the family was worthy of this information.” Kun’s voice broke their conversation, and Minhyung felt his hair stand on end.

“Youngho trusted me with the information so he gave it to me, let's leave it at that,” Taeyong grumbles, ears folding against the back of his head as Kun chuckles.

“How special were you that Youngho had told you about something that has been in the Suh name for so long now?”

“I became a Suh. That's how.”

“Kun.”

Yongqin’s voice broke their conversation, and he didn’t look too pleased with all the talking.

Kun cleared his throat slightly before making his way over to the jaguar, and now it was Donghyuck’s turn to approach Minhyung and Taeyong.

“Please tell me you have an idea about how you’re going to get your rightful place in the throne.” Donghyuck says quietly enough for the couple ahead of them to not hear.

“I don’t have a clue, i’m just hoping Yukhei and Kunhang were able to get in here without being spotted,” Minhyung sighs, before stopping as they approached the dungeons, where through the opened doors, Minhyung can barely make out a male kneeled on a platform that he never knew existed.

“Jungwoo, we brought you more visitors,” Yongqin’s voice rings through the dungeon, and the male on the platform looks up, making Minhyung’s throat go dry as he takes in the omega’s state.

Jungwoo looked absolutely terrible.

His clothes were barely hanging onto his body, he had bruises and cuts on every inch of skin that could be seen, his hair was nothing but a messy mop of dirty silver on top of his head.

His ribs were noticeable as well under all the cuts and bruises molded into his skin, and it made bile rise into Minhyung’s throat slightly.

“Mom!” Donghyuck exclaims, letting go of the bit of Minhyung’s shirt he was holding on to to run towards his mother, who seemed to brighten up slightly at the appearance of his son.

“Donghyuck, you came back,” Jungwoo says weakly as Donghyuck moves to wrap his arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

“I had to, mom, I couldn't leave you behind,” Donghyuck says, before he’s turning around, looking back at Kun and Yongqin, “i’m here now, so please, whatever you had planned for him, please stop it.”

Yongqin stares at Donghyuck, not looking too pleased at being spoken too once more, “can’t do that.”

Donghyuck’s heart nearly stops in his chest, “why-why not?”

“I’ve waited to get rid of him for five years and you finally gave me a reason to,” Yongqin says, looking back at Jaehyun and Jeno as he does, “i’m not gonna let this opportunity leave me so easily.”

“That’s not fair!” Donghyuck exclaims, moving to step towards the jaguar.

“Get your bitch Jaehyun, before you end up suffering the consequences as well,” Yongqin says, and it isn’t hard to notice the way Jaehyun’s body tensed at the words, before he’s hopping off the platform to grab Donghyuck, pulling him away from Yongqin, ignoring the curses and growls the omega hurled at him.

Yongqin scoffs slightly at how much Jaehyun seems to care for the little thing growing inside Donghyuck, but he pays it no more mind then necessary as he turns to look back at Jeno, “get him u-”

“Ow, let go!”

All their heads turn to the door in time to see four jaguars bring in two people, ones that Minhyung recognized instantly.

“Keonhee? Seoho? Why are you two here?” Minhyung asks, tensign in place when he sees Kun look over at him in the corner of his eyes.

“We saw you guys leave the town, you expect us to not follow you? Especially when you let the squirrel come with you?” Keonhee says, growling at one of the jaguars behind him that had an iron grip on his wrists.

“Watch your tone, fox,” the jaguar growls, before he’s forcing Keonhee onto his knees, Seoho being pushed down beside him.

“oh, so you brought friends?” Yongqin asks, looking over at Minhyung, “i wish i was notified sooner, maybe then we’d have a bigger audience to witness the loss of such an important noble.”

“You aren’t gonna lay a hand on my mother as long as i’m right here,” Donghyuck sneers, struggling and pulling away from Jaehyun.

“I will do as i please,” Yongqin says, before looking back at the four jagaurs that came in, “Hwanwoong, Youngjo, watch over the foxes, Changkyun, Hyunwoo, gather some of the guards and search for any other trespassers will you?”

When the jaguars nod, Yongqin smiles, before turning to look back at Jungwoo, “The more the merrier, right?”

***

Taeyong watched from his place in front of Taeil’s cell as Jeno wrapped a rope around Jungwoo’s neck.

They weren’t going to kill him just yet, but even seeing his dear friend in such a position as this made him feel uneasy, it made his blood grow cold, and he just wished it was over.

He wished it didn’t play out this long, but of course, Yongqin calls the shots, and wants everyone to suffer with their hearts in their stomach until the very last second.

“Taeyong,” Taeil’s voice is soft, nearly quiet enough for Taeyong to barely hear him.

“Minhyung needs to take them down,” Taeil continues, and Taeyong barely turns his head towards the cell, not wanting to bring too much attention onto himself, “we can’t allow them to kill Jungwoo when he’s done nothing wrong.”

“I know, and he won’t die,” Taeyong replies quietly, before letting his gaze shift over to Minhyung who obviously looked displeased as Kun and Yongqin spoke of Jungwoo and Donghyuck in ways that Taeyong never wanted to repeat, “remember though, Taeil, Minhyung is Youngho’s son, he’s smart and strong like his father, he’ll figure something out.”

“He lacks though, Taeyong…” Taeil says, watching how Taeyong’s shoulders tense, “he’s been gone for who knows how long, and he’s hardly the same size as Kun. if they were to challenge each other, who do you think would win?”

“Don’t make me doubt my child,” Taeyong says, voice stern as he turns his head away from the lynx, “he’s Youngho’s son,” he repeats, “if he got anything from his father, it’s his strength and bravery.”

Taeil stays quiet after that, and Taeyong lets out a soft sigh as Minhyung glances over at him, any negative emotion disappearing from his gaze as he catches his mother’s gaze.

He should feel relieved knowing his son is alive and well and finally back with him, but all he feels pooling low in his stomach is fear and anxiety.

Taeil’s words roll around in his mind, and he can’t help but start worrying now.

He begins to believe that maybe it would’ve been better if Minhyung had stayed away, because while Kun has Yongqin and a pack of jaguars at his beck and call, from what Taeyong sees, Minhyung only has two foxes, a couple of old wolves, a weakened lynx, and a terrified hare on his side.

Minhyung was at a disadvantage from the start, and Taeyong only prays that this will go down peacefully with no teeth or claws being bared at each other.

“Donghyuck, stop it,” Taeyong looks away from his son in time to see Donghyuck pull away from Jaehyun’s grip, turning to face the jaguar with a fire in his eyes that Taeyong had never seen before.

“You don’t get to tell me what to do, I may be carrying your cursed child, but I am not yours to boss around,” the omega growls, his ears flattening against his skull and his tail frizzing up slightly.

Donghyuck turns around then and storms off towards Yongqin and Kun without letting Jaehyun respond, and Taeyong sees fear swirl into Jaehyun’s eyes as he freezes in place, making him gnaw at his bottom lip slightly.

“Let my mother go already! All you’re doing is making this harder for the rest of us!” Donghyuck shouts, and it attracts the attention of everyone in the room.

“Jaehyun, i thought i told you to control your bi-” Yongqin is cut off by a harsh slap against the side of his face, making the jaguar stumble backwards, holding his face in shock.

“Stop calling me names!” Donghyuck growls, and everyone stares, stunned and frozen in place.

“Yongqin,” Kun’s voice breaks the numbing silence, and he steps over, placing his hands on Yongqin’s shoulders in an attempt to help the jaguar regain his composure, but it does nothing, and Yongqin shoves Kun away without a second thought.

“That is it,” Yongqin growls, and he strightens his spine as he turns back to Donghyuck, a red hand print marking his face where the wolf had hit him, “i am done being fucking patient,” his voice grows louder with every word, and Donghyuck doesn’t expect for the jaguar to lunge at him, taking them both down to the ground, both equally kicking and swinging at each other.

“No-” Jaehyun starts, moving to step towards the omegas, but is held back with a hand on his shoulder that belonged to Jeno, “what are you doing?”

“What are /you/ doing, Jae?” Jeno says back, brows furrowed, “don’t tell me you actually care for Donghyuck.”

“Why does it matter to you? All you care about is Yongqin.”

Jeno scoffs slightly, “you’ve gotten weak because of that damned wolf.”

“So what if i have,” Jaehyun growls, forcefully pulling away from Jeno’s grip.

“Get off of him!” Minhyung exclaims among the shouts of Yongqin and Donghyuck, but he makes no move to step forward, not wanting to risk harming Donghyuck, “Kun, get him off!”

“You think I can control him? He’s led a pack full of alphas for over fifteen years by himself, I'm not the one in charge here,” Kun says, seeming to be proud of himself that he wasn’t the one who had the reins in the relationship.

Keonhee struggles against the jaguar - Youngjo - holding him, before he manages to throw his head back far enough to hit the alpha a bit lower than he intended to, but it worked when he sees the man tumble over, clutching himself between his thighs as he groans.

He stands up and without any further thoughts, he shifts, the sound of bones breaking barely audible among Yongqin’s angry growls and hisses and Donghyuck’s shouts and cries, before he hurls himself in between the two omegas only for Yongqin to let out a yelp a moment later.

He falls back and away from Donghyuck, a hand coming up to cover his face from view, and Minhyung takes the time now to rush over to Dognhyuck who laid curled up on the floor, with Keonhee beside him, still in his little fox form as he licks at the wounds that Yongqin left on Donghyuck.

“Hyuck? Donghyuck, are you alright?” Minhyung asks, moving to lay Donghyuck on his back, ignoring that familiar feeling that lingers in the back of his mind from the movement. He let his gaze trail over the omega’s body, already seeing where Yongqin had managed to hurt him, and he swallowed dryly.

Donghyuck barely moves, but he manages to pry his eyes open, pain etching into every inch of his face, “Minnie…”

Minhyung feels a small wave of relief wash through him when he sees that Donghyuck was still alive and breathing, only for the relief to disappear as fast as it came, when he notices red beginning to coat the floor below the omega’s head.

Yongqin hisses as he pushes himself off the floor, and Minhyung turns to look, instantly noticing the three red gashes clawed over the jaguar’s left side of his face, red dripping down from them.

Keonhee stands again, baring his teeth at the male, he may not be big, but he wanted to help anyway he can.

“You all think you can just send in a little rodent and expect me to stop?” They watch as Yongqin looks over at Jeno, who had been keeping Jungwoo in place the entire time, ignoring Kun who tried to get him to settle down a bit, “finish the job, Jeno, hang the damn bitch so we can get rid of the rest of them.”

Jeno nods, letting go of Jungwoo’s arms and moves over to the lever on the side of the platform.

Minhyung stood up, and Taeyong pushed himself off the cage bars to rush over to the platform, tears clouding his eyes as the jaguar pushed the lever down.

Minhyung watches, heart frozen, mouth dry, as time seems to slow down.

He watches as Jungwoo squeezes his eyes shut.

He watches as his mother climbs onto the platform.

He watches as Keonhee hurls himself up at Yongqin once more.

He’s stuck in place though.

He can’t /move/.

He can’t move despite how much he wants to.

He can barely focus on what was in front of him.

But then, the doors to the dungeon are slammed open.


	9. Chapter 9

The doors to the dungeon are slammed open, and Minhyung turns his head in time to see a wolf - one that looked all too familiar to him - burst into the room, heading straight for the wooden platform.

Minhyung loses his footing when the giant canine jumps past him, and he falls back, only able to stare with wide eyes as Jeno lets go of the lever, letting it move back into place and the wolf slams into him, knocking them both off the back of the platform, followed by a scream that bounces off the dungeon walls.

Minhyung shudders.

Taeyong uses this time to rush over to Jungwoo, who looks terrified as Taeyong removes the rope from his neck and wrists.

Minhyung hears more footsteps running through the hall, and he turns his head to see more familiar faces.

Kunhang and Yukhei look like a mess with their hair sticking up in different directions, but they still had that adrenaline pumping through their veins, Minhyung could tell, as they shut the dungeon doors behind them, just in time for several jaguars to run into them.

It’s all too much for Minhyung to process, and he feels the telltale sign of a headache linger in the back of his mind until he hears the familiar squeal of Donghyuck in pain.

His head shoots up to see Kun with his arm around the omega’s neck and a blade dangerously close to his stomach, “call off your animals, Minhyung, or else you lose the cub and the bitch along with it.”

Minhyung is quick to stand up, wobbling on his feet as he tries to focus on the wolf in front of him, and not the chaos surrounding them.

“Kun please-”

“Call them off!” Kun sneers, pressing the blade against Donghyuck’s skin slightly, and it makes Minhyung tense slightly.

“Please Kun, don’t hurt him, it's me you want isn’t it? It’s me and my dad right? Just-” Minhyung swallows dryly, “just please don’t hurt him, and do what you want to me okay?”

“It is you that i want, but he is something you care about, so if his life is on the line, i know you’ll do anything you can to save him.” Kun says, and his eyes begin to glow that yellow color, a color that Minhyung began to despise, “now call them off.”

***

Jaehyun watched from where he was frozen in the corner of the room.

He was terrified to say the least.

So much had happened within the last few minutes, he can barely comprehend it.

One second, he had Donghyuk in his grasp, secured enough to where the plan could just follow through and will hopefully be over as quickly as it happened.

But now, he’s paralyzed as he watches a fox tear away at Yongqin’s arms and shirt trying to harm him in anyway possible, as he notices out of the corner of his eye how a huge gray wolf ended his oldest friend’s life, and as Kun held a blade dangerously close to Donghyuck’s stomach, letting his gaze trail down to where trails of blood began to drip down Donghyuck’s thighs, soaking his clothes in the red color.

His own stomach flipped at the sight, and he won’t lie when he says he can feel his heart break as he realizes what might’ve happened.

He won’t admit it, but he had been so happy when he found out Donghyuck was pregnant with his child but he never showed it in front of the omega.

He knew Donghyuck hated him, but even Donghyuck couldn’t actually bring himself to abort it, even if Jaehyun gave him that option several times within the past few months.

“Hey,” Jaehyun turned his head to see Taeil peering at him through the cell bars, “you aren’t gonna help your kings or what?”

“I…” Jaehyun struggles to find words, especially when he turns back in time to see Yongqin throw the fox across the room, watching as the fox reverts back into his human state at the impact and the other male - Seoho if Jaehyun remembered right - ran towards the limp male, having been let go by Hwanjoong not too long ago, “i dont know…”

“What do you mean? You were so determined to do whatever Yongqin ordered of you just a moment ago. what, did the thought of losing your child finally knock some sense into you?”

Jaehyun doesn’t look back at the lynx as he continues to speak.

“You see how even innocent people lose their lives because of Kun and Yongqin?” Taeil says, and Jaehyun listens to the slight jingle of the bracelet the lynx was wearing, “i don't know how long you’ve known Yongqin, but i’m sure you’ve heard of how he made Taeyong lose his first two children right?”

Jaehyun nods slightly.

“Yongqin doesn’t care about anyone,” the lynx adds on, “your friend over there just got his face bitten off, but has Yongqin said anything on it yet? Has he shown any worry from not seeing the kid?”

Jaehyun finds it in himself to shake his head in response.

“Other than sexual attraction, i highly doubt Yongqin cares what happens to you guys, especially now that Kun is at his side.”

Jaehyun lowers his head slightly, only to feel hot breath against his forehead, and he looks up to see the gray wolf’s face incredibly close to his own, blood coating it’s lips, and he doesn’t even want to look behind the wolf to see what’s left of his friend.

His heart skipped a beat when its lips pulled back in a snarl, and Jaehyun squeezed his eyes shut, awaiting for his time to end, but it never came.

He pops an eye open to see Taeil’s hand stuck out between two bars, his hand pressed gently against the wolf’s forehead.

“Are you still on Yongqin’s side? If you aren’t, Youngho’s forgiving, but he won’t forget what you’ve done to his family.” Taeil says, and it takes a moment for Jaehyun to understand what he means, but then it clicks.

“No…” comes Jaehyun’s answer, and the wolf stares at him for a moment longer, before it backs away, and rushes over in favor of helping Minhyung out.

“Let me and Doyoung out,” Taeil says, and Jaehyun looks back at him instantly.

“I don’t have the keys though, Kun does,” Jaehyun says, and Taeil glances over at the mentioned wolf.

“Well go get them then,” Taeil says, and Jaehyun blinks a few times, trying to process what he was told to do before he nods and gets up, steadily making his way over to Kun, and trying his hardest to avoid seeing Jeno’s corpse as he does.

“Kun you don’t need to be putting his life at risk because of me and my father, just- please just let him go,” Minhyung says, hands shaking where he has them held out in front of him.

Jaehyun can see the exact moment that the young wolf sees him, and he holds a finger up to his lips when he does, to which Minhyung shockingly complies to, focusing his attention back on the man he used to call uncle.

Jaehyun looks over at the door where a man with antlers, and a man much smaller than the other were still holding the doors closed, and he bites the inside of his cheek as he tries to think up a plan, but his thoughts are cut short when he hears growling behind him, and he turns, thinking it was Yongqin coming for him, but instead, it was Youngjo and Hwanwoong, both looking equally pissed off.

He feels stupid for letting himself forget about them.

“What are you doing? Why are you only now moving around?” Youngjo asks, nothing but anger laced in his tone, and Jaehyun feels his heart drop to his stomach.

he ‘s seen these two as nothing but brothers, but now he’s probably gonna let them down with his choices.

“I-i realized something… i can’t- i can’t walk around with all this dread on my shoulders anymore,” Jaehyun says, and he faintly notices Yongqin in the corner of his eye, making his way over to them.

“Realized what?” Hwanwoong asks, and Jaehyun lets out a breath.

“That i'm not one of you anymore..”

He sees the exact moment when looks of hurt cross their faces.

“Sorry but- but i don’t want anymore blood on my hands, i’m gonna do what’s right so,” Jaehyun stops to breathe, hoping to calm his heart down just as Yongqin stops, a few feet away, now giviong Jaehyun a clear look of how marred his face is now from the fox he had thrown a while ago, “stop me if you want, but i’m not helping you guys anymore,” he says, determination flowing through him before he turns away from the ones he’s considered family for so many years, and closes the distance between him and Kun.

He grabs the keys that the alpha kept in his back pocket and ducked, just as Yongqin launched at him, and the jaguar flies over his head, landing the jump easily.

Kun turns his head to glare at Jaehyun, “what in the world are you doin-” Donghyuck’s head tipped back against the wolf’s chin with enough force to make Kun let go of him, and the omega rushes over to Minhyung while Jaehyun turns to throw the keys at Taeil’s cell, where the lynx catches them easily through the bars.

“Making things right while I still can,” Jaehyun responds, even as Kun tries to regain his composure, and Jaehyun stands up, now knowing he has Yongqin and probably Youngjo and Hwanwoong on his ass.

“A change of heart? So easily?” Kun asks, rubbing at his jaw, “and here i was thinking that Yongqin was who you’d stay loyal to.”

“Yeah, i thought so too,” Jaehyun says, glancing back at the mentioned jaguar as he does.

“I gave you so much Jaehyun and this is what i get in return?” Yongqin says, not showing an ounce of hurt in his voice, only anger and irritation, “it should’ve been your face that Youngho tore off instead of Jeno’s, at least he knows who's in charge.”

“Maybe it should have been,” Jaehyun shrugs, looking over at the giant wolf that still stood beside Minhyung and Donghyuck, Taeyong and a very weak looking Jungwoo now joining their side, “but Jeno was always an idiot, he wouldn’t question his loyalty to you even if you’ve hurt him personally.”

“Because I'm a jaguar, just like he was, Jaehyun, I don’t know how your brain works, but we don’t betray our own kind.”

“You betrayed us when you mated with a wolf, Yongqin, you realize that don’t you?”

“And how did i do that?” Yongqin asks, shifting back human, ignoring the ache in his bones as he wipes at his face, still oozing blood thanks to the cuts Keonhee left on him.

“You chased off all the omega jaguars in our pack which can put an end to jaguars in general all to keep his attention,” Jaehyun says, matter of factly, and he lets his gaze travel to the cells behind Kun’s head, where he sees Taeil subtly trying to unlock his cell door, “and you’ve allowed him to harm us as well.”

Yongqin scoffs slightly, “if he’s harmed you, you probably pissed him off-”

“No, we never got on his nerves,” Jaehyun says, and then turns to Youngjo and Hwanwoong, “you two are enough proof of that right?”

The two jaguars tense slightly, glancing at both Yongqin and Kun as they do.

“You never got on Kun’s nerves did you? It was always Yongqin that was displeased with the work you two did, before he tossed you to Kun, wasn’t it?” Jaehyun asks, and even if it was hesitant, both the males nodded, avoiding looking at Yongqin entirely.

“He used to never lay a hand on you but as soon as you stepped into this castle, his mate has done nothing but hurt you, right?” Jaehyun’s words hurt Hwanwoong and Youngjo, but they nod again, and Yongqin’s eyes glance over at Kun.

“You told me to deal with them so i did, and have they ever pissed you off doing certain things after i’ve dealt with them?” Kun says, shrugging as he does, “at least they’re keeping their asses in line now, right?”

“What have you done to them?” Yongqin asks, and it seems to make the atmosphere thicken around all of them.

“What?” Kun blinks, dumbfounded that Yongqin’s anger seems to be directed at him.

“You heard me, what have you done to my pack while I wasn't paying attention?” Yongqin elaborates, glaring harshly into Kun’s skull.

“I’ve only done what I thought they deserved,” Kun answers, and he flinches back when Yongqin snarls at him, looking more feral with the new cuts lining his face.

“Maybe it’s time you get what you deserve finally,” a voice, one that was so familiar to all of them, finally spoke up, and they turned to look at the grey wolf that stood beside Minhyung and Taeyong.

“Ah, so the former king finally wants to talk,” Kun says, raising a brow at him, “I figured your brain was knocked so hard you went mute. What a shame.”

“That’s never gonna happen as long as you live,” Youngho says, stepping closer to Kun, “now, since i’m sure my family is already scarred from seeing me off one of the jaguars already,” he pauses slightly, glancing back at Taeyong and Minhyung behind him, both staring back at him with something similar to both relief and worry, “why don’t you and i leave the room for a moment.”

Kun rolls his eyes, “please, now you want to be courteous? Half of us are already covered in blood, hell, Yongqin’s face is barely holding itself together, why hide the rest of it from them?”

“Because I want to keep their sanity intact as much as possible,” Youngho says, lowering his chest to the ground, a growl resonating from low in his throat as he does.

“I’m sure Taeyong’s sanity has been broken for a while now after what he’s been through,” Kun says, smirking at the mentioned wolf as he does, and Youngho growls louder this time, before he lunges forward, taking his brother to the ground.

Jaehyun turns away when he hears the sound of bones breaking, not wanting to see how violent two angry wolves can get, and looks at Hwanwoong and Youngjo, “are you still on his side?”

Hwanwoong glances at Youngjo, then over at Yongqin who begins to look more and more pale and weak as the minutes dread on, over to the corpse of their once best friend sitting on the other side of the dungeon, over to Jungwoo, Doyoung and Taeil, three men they had part in hurting, before he shakes his head, and Youngjo can’t help but agree with him.

“Then help me get everyone out of here while Youngho deals with Kun,” Jaehyun says, and the jaguars, though a bit reluctant, listen, moving to help the injured out of the dungeon.

Minhyung watches as they take Jungwoo and Donghyuck out, with Taeil following behind, Doyoung clinging onto the lynx for extra support. Kunhang and Yukhei glance over at Minhyung with worry, before they open the doors, Seoho and Keonhee ready to help fight off the jaguars that had no doubt still filled the hallways.

Taeyong stays behind with his son and husband, not wanting to leave them again like he already had.

Yongqin did not look happy in the slightest, especially when he looked over at Kun and Youngho, very clearly noticing how Youngho was winning.

“You know, Yongqin, you can leave, go back to the graveyard with your pack and we’ll leave you be.” Taeyong says, seeming unaffected by the barks and howls and growls coming from the two wolves beside them, his gaze locked on the numerous scratches lining Yongqin’s face, blood practically coating his face from how much the cuts oozed.

“I don’t give up as easily as you do, Taeyong,” Yongqin growls, spitting out some blood as he moves to step closer, “i’m not like you, i don’t give up while i’m ahead, and i will do what i can to knock you back dow-” a sharp whimper cuts him off, and all attention turns over to the gray wolf that still stood, blood coating it’s face and chest, and once they allow their gaze to look down at the floor, a small gasp leaves Yongqin’s lips upon seeing Kun laying there, instantly noticing the red that coated what was left of his neck and shoulder.

Yongqin drops to his knees beside the body, hand shaking as he rests it on Kun’s chest, “this makes me wonder… if you always wanted to do this to him.”

“Hardly,” Youngho huffs, before he shifts out of his wolf form, and Minhyung and Taeyong both look away from him to avoid seeing the blood that still coats his face and chest, some of the red liquid coating the beard he had managed to grow throughout the years of not taking care of it “i loved him, i did, but he brought this on himself, he knew he wouldn’t win.”

“So.. are you gonna kill me too then? Or are you like Taeyong and want to set me free?” Yongqin asks, raising his head to look up at Youngho.

Youngho moved to look over at Taeyong, who looked over at the mention of his name, and they both caught each other’s eyes quickly, and Youngho could see the worry and fear that lingered in his irises.

“It’s not my choice if you live or die-”

“So you’re gonna be as weak as him then? You can kill your brother like nothing but you hesitate over me?” Yongqin stands up, “maybe i should’ve killed you the moment i found out you were still alive,” he adds on, and Youngho looks back at him, eyes widening slightly when Yongqin makes a move to lunge at him, but then a rope wraps around his neck and he’s pulled back with a gargled yelp.

His hands move up to try and remove the rope, and Youngho allows his gaze to flick up and see Jaehyun, looking both scared but determined as he tightens his grip on the rope.

“let- let go!” Yongqin wheezes, clawing at the rope against his neck and causing red lines to form against his skin, “let go of me!” he sounds breathless.

“Not gonna happen, Yongqin, just like how you made everyone here suffer, you should too,” Jaehyun says, a fire in his eyes as he watches Yongqin struggle to breathe in, face beginning to turn a blotchy red under the blood, then to a light purple as he continues to struggle.

“Should’ve just taken the easy way out and left when you had the chance,” Jaehyun says, a low growl coming from his throat, grip getting impossibly tighter on the ropes as Yongqin’s movements slow, becoming more sluggish until he finally falls limp in Jaehyun’s hold.

He lets go of the rope, dropping it and with it, Yongqin’s body. His chest heaves as he tries to calm himself down, and he flinches slightly when a hand lands on his shoulder, and he looks up, eyes wide as he meets Youngho’s gaze.

“Let’s get you out of here before you go mad,” he says gently, and Jaehyun only nods, looking back down at the floor, where Kun and Yongqin now laid, noticing the rope had left a bruise around the jaguar’s neck.

Youngho and Minhyung lead him out with Taeyong walking behind them.

It’s silent between them as they walk out of the dungeon and up to the first floor of the palace, where everyone else was already waiting for them.

Jaehyun fidgets with his hands as they come into view with the rest of the group, still able to feel the rope in his hands whenever he closes them into fists. His heart is still racing with adrenaline as Taeyong and Youngho walk past him, and he barely catches when one of Youngho’s remaining servants hands Youngho a wet towel to clean himself up as much as he could.

“You alright, Jaehyun?” He looks up slightly from where he was burning holes into the red rug beneath his feet to see Taeil standing beside him, and now that he was in the light, Jaehyun can clearly see how sunken his cheekbones were and how much cuts and scrapes decorated his face and neck.

“No, actually,” Jaehyun replies, straightening his spine as he examines the rest of the lynx’s body, “i… i’m really sorry for.. For all of this..” he mutters softly, pain striking at his heart as he takes in how frail Taeil looks now then he did when he had first met him.

“I’m not the one you should be apologising to,” Taeil says, before gently motioning over to Youngho and Taeyong, who were both busy in hugging their son, both obviously relieved their son was safe in their arms once more.

“Right…” Jaehyun nods, and he exhales softly, rolling his shoulders before he begins walking over to the royals. He passes by Youngjo and Hwanwoong who both look equally scared for their lives and relieved that it was all over finally.

He doesn’t return their gazes as he stops just a few feet away from the group hug happening in front of him, and he hesitantly clears his throat, mouth suddenly feeling dry as he speaks.

“Youngho,” he says, flushing when his voice cracks ever so slightly. man he’s never felt this nervous in Yongqin’s or Kun’s presence before. He flinches slightly when the wolf looks back at him, pulling away from his husband and his son.

“Yes?” Youngho replies, slightly raising a brow when he notices the not so subtle way on how Jaehyun tries to wipe his hands on his pants.

“I, um.. I know we aren’t…” Jaehyun sighs, words jumbling around in his head as he tries to think of what to say next, “i just-”

“Jaehyun,” his head shoots up when his name is called and he meets Youngho’s gaze instantly, “breathe and relax, then speak,” is all the wolf says and Jaehyun finds himself nodding.

He lets out a soft breath, before he’s kneeling down in front of Youngho, arms resting on his knee and his head dropped. His ears lay flat against his head and his tail hides between his legs as he finally finds the right words that he’s wanted to say for a while now.

“I’m sorry… for everything that has happened. I am sorry for the harm and pain I inflicted on your advisor, and your nobles, and most importantly on you and your mate. I-i never realised how bad it was and-and that’s my fault. I realize my actions for the past half decade were wrong and dangerous and… I understand if you don’t forgive me, I understand if you send me back to the graveyard with the rest of my pack.”

Jaehyun stares down at the ground in front of him once more, barely able to see Youngho’s shoes from where he’s kneeled. He waits with a beating heart, and he flinches slightly when two bodies kneel down next to him, and he can guess from the two yellow furred tails that he can make out in the corner of his eyes that it was Hwanwoong and Youngjo, the last two members of his pack that he has left.

“We’re sorry too,” Hwanwoong’s voice is heard, “we only followed Yongqin because of instinct, because of how he was the remaining omega in our group… we never… put much thought into what we were doing before as long as it pleased him…”

Youngho is silent for a moment, processing the words, before he smiles, soft and gentle as always, “raise your heads,” the jaguars do, “you understand what you’ve allowed to happen right? You almost had me killed, my family and kingdom as well. I don’t forgive things such as that so easily.”

“We understand..” Jaehyun replies, moving to lower his head, before Youngho speaks up again.

“You’ll have to make it up to us somehow,” the wolf says, and the jaguars share quick glances with each other, “stand up, jaguars,” Youngho says, and they comply, albeit a little confused, “you will work here at the castle as personal guards and servants to Taeil, Doyoung and Jungwoo, the ones who you have harmed the most.”

“Yes sir,” the three reply, bowing their heads, and thanking him in the same breath, before Youngho excuses them. He catches Jaehyun by the shoulder though, pulling the jaguar back in front of him.

“You though, Jaehyun, you will be a personal guard for Donghyuck and for my son, I think that’s better for you considering how close you were with Donghyuck.”

Jaehyun blinks a few times, before he nods, subtly glancing around the hall to see only Minhyung there, and no Donghyuck in sight, “yes sir, but… where is Donghyuck?”

“His bedroom with a few palace nurses,” Taeyong replies instead, and he steps up beside Youngho, clutching onto his arm. He looks upset, and Jaehyun immediately feels his heart begin to pound against his ribcage when the omega bites at his bottom lip, “He took a lot of hits from Yongqin earlier… he was really disoriented from a wound he had gotten on his head...” he explains, and he moves to grab one of Jaehyun’s hands, which the jaguar allows him to, “i’m not entirely sure if the pup had survived all of it though, but i promise, you will be notified immediately once we find out.”

Jaehyun feels his chest grow a little lighter at the little string of hope that fills him. His child might still be alive and growing. He just has to wait and see. “Thank you for telling me, your highness.” he says, bowing his head as he does.

Taeyong smiles at him, before turning back to his son once more and letting go of Jaehyun’s hand. Youngho squeezes his shoulder for reassurance, before he’s patting the jaguar’s arm slightly as if they were best pals or something.

Jaehyun feels a weird warmth grow in his chest as Youngho grins at him before looking back at his family again, turning his back to the jaguar.


	10. Chapter 10

Three years have passed since the end of Kun’s and Yongqin’s reign, and the kingdom has never been better.

Everyone was ecstatic to hear that their king had finally woken up, and even more so when they heard their crowned prince had returned. The kingdom had only grown since then.

The forest had grown back into it’s beautiful green state that it was in eight years ago, the animals had come back once they knew that no threats were around any more, and no one can really describe how happy Taeyong was when he was finally allowed out of the castle for the first time and had finally been able to see the faces of the people who loved him and his family dearly.

Jaehyun, Hwanwoong, and Youngjo still lived at the castle, but they didn't keep the personal servant jobs they were given the entire time, in fact, they upgraded.

Jaehyun became the head guard, hand chosen by Youngho himself, while Hwanwoong and Youngjo are his second and third in command. They have grown in the three years they stayed in the kingdom, and are now three of the most trusted guards they have at the palace.

Not only that though, but now a little three year old cub ran around the castle, one with yellow and black spotted ears and matching tail with patches of white fur here and there, one who made the entire room shine, one who made Jaehyun’s life so much better.

Donghyuck had managed to give birth to Jaehyun’s pup five months after everything that had happened, and although he had told Jaehyun before that he wanted nothing to do with the child, those thoughts had sort of left him. The only thing that Donghyuck had said was that he didn't want the cub to know he was it’s mother.

The cub looks nothing like him anyways. He more so looked like Jaehyun anyways, after all, more jaguar was present in him than anything else.

Minhyung had to grow used to seeing the little cub around the palace, seeing as to him, it only served as a reminder of what happened to Donghyuck all those years ago, but he finds that he cares for the child as well, even if it isn’t connected to him in any way.

Kunhang, Yukhei, Keonhee and Seoho had gone back to the outlands a month after Kun and Yongqin were killed, none of them really feeling that safe around a bunch of predators still, yet they wrote to Minhyung everyday, who wrote back to them with as much excitement.

It wasn’t until a year ago when Taeyong and Youngho had allowed the outlanders to come into the kingdom, and Minhyung was over the moon when he realized that meant he would be able to see his friends again.

Though the prey hybrids were scared, they warmed up to the predators pretty quickly thankfully.

Kunhang was the one who took the longest to warm up, seeing as he was such a small hybrid, but after a few encounters with the King’s trusted advisor, Doyoung, another small hybrid, the predators grew on him.

Donghyuck and Minhyung had grown closer in the past three years as well, and Doyoung always made a big deal out of it every time he noticed them acting all lovey dovey towards each other, always claiming that he was right all those years ago about them being betrothed to each other, and Minhyung never denied his claims unlike Donghyuck does, always smiling whenever Donghyuck gives him some smart remark in reply.

Minhyung stopped letting Jaehyun get so close to him maybe half a year after the incident, and Jaehyun respected it, now only watching them from a distance.

Youngho had gotten better in the past years as well. Being in a coma for five years took a toll on him the first year after waking up. It was hard for him to eat much of anything, or sleep. He barely showed his face to the kingdom in this state, but he had started to leave his chambers and the castle a lot more frequently in the past year and a half.

In Minhyung’s opinion, he believes that Doyoung, Taeil, and Jungwoo have had the most beautiful recovery out of all of them.

Doyoung, from being sexually assaulted and harassed and starved on a day to day basis during the five years of Kun’s reign, had somehow gained more confidence, and never let any alpha step all over him again, he doesn’t even let Youngho step all over him like he used to now. Alphas no longer scare him, and Minhyung is proud of him for it.

Taeil, after being used as a scratching post for the jaguars had healed up amazingly. He still has scars of course, and he does still have the letter “J” carved into his stomach twice still from Jeno and Jaehyun, but he never holds it against the latter, seeing as he had become so respected in the castle now and had earned the king’s trust as well as Taeil’s own.

And Jungwoo, the one who had suffered from being beat by Yongqin and Kun every chance they got, the one who was fed only one meal every two weeks, had healed up the best. Where he was all ribs and bone before, he now has his pudgy stomach back, where his hips were skinny enough to where you can feel the bone, they filled out once more. His face too even, where his eyes and cheeks look sunken in and almost ghostly, he had eaten enough to fill his cheeks out once more. 

Donghyuck had nearly cried when his mother was back on his feet after taking two years to heal properly.

Minhyung felt so much relief as he watched everyone grow healthier through the years, and he hopes it remains this way.

***

Another two years have passed, and all was right in the kingdom.

Well, all except Minhyung’s sleep schedule.

As it turns out, whenever Kunhang claimed he was hanging out with Doyoung to talk, they were actually doing more than just talking.

Everyone was more than just shocked at the fact that Doyoung was pregnant and had given birth to three adorable triplets. Dejun, Renjun and Yangyang were a definite surprise to them, but they let the kits in with open arms, and all took part in caring for them.

Now, there's three pairs of feet running up and down the hallways all the time throughout the day, and crying and whimpering all through the night.

Minhyung wonders how Donghyuck is able to sleep through the disruption.

Kunhang manages to get the three new kits to sleep pretty easily every night though, but since they wake up several times every night, Minhyung has to say goodbye to a proper nine hours of rest.

Maybe Minhyung shouldn't have let them use the vacant room beside them as a nursery.

He would do anything for a proper night’s sleep.

Of course, he never touches up on it with his friends, not wanting to make them feel bad for his lack of sleep. Instead, he lets them keep the room, and keeps them blissfully unaware of his sleepless nights.

Besides, he found things to distract him throughout the nights, and maybe he found a new love for art through those nights.

While Donghyuck slept on the bed peacefully, he was up at the omega’s vanity, eyes on a piece of paper and a pen or pencil in his hand.

He drew anything from landscapes to the animals in the forest, from people in his family to the servants, to mainly Donghyuck.

He drew pictures of Donghyuck a lot and the omega kept all the drawings in a drawer at the bottom of his vanity where they were safe and untouched.

Minhyung has no idea where this splurge of emotions for the omega came from, but he never complains about them, finding them to be rather pleasant at times.

He also doesn’t fail to notice how Donghyuck seems to do more to show his own feelings more and more everyday.

Let’s just say, they have a lot of freetime to themselves and they find themselves having fun in bed a lot more than they probably should be.

No one mentions it though, but Minhyung does get a few elbow nudges to the ribs from his father whenever Donghyuck looks particularly happy and is glowing on certain days.

Minhyung tries to avoid his father on those days, but of course, Youngho’s nose is still as strong as ever and can sniff out his son no matter where he is.

Which is how he ends up on the top floor balcony with his father, the place where his father had shown him the entire kingdom.

Minhyung finds himself up here often, and his father joins him whenever he can, much like today.

They’ve just stood there, staring down at their kingdom, and the forest and everything beyond it, all in silence.

Minhyung knew his father wanted to say something, so he made no move to leave his dad’s side for the time being.

“Twenty five,” Youngho says suddenly, and Minhyung glances up at him slightly, a wistful look glazing over his father’s eyes, “i can’t believe you’re twenty five already… it almost feels like time is going by too fast.”

“Maybe it is,” Minhyung says, shrugging slightly, looking over his father’s face. His hair was starting to gray, and some small wrinkles had started to form under his eyes. Even with those flaws, he still wasn’t quite able to believe that his father is already fifty years old as well.

“It definitely is,” Youngho says, before leaning against the balcony, “one second your fifteen, young and still had so much ahead of you, now you’re twenty five, a year away from becoming king,” he mutters, not looking at his son once as he smiles, almost sadly, “not to mention that you’re mated to Donghyuck as well. My, where has the time gone,” he chuckles gently.

Minhyung glanced away from his father, feeling his heart tighten in his chest at the older man’s tone.

“Maybe time is going by a little too fast,” Minhyung says softly, moving to lean against the balcony beside the male, “we shouldn’t dwell on it though in my opinion. We’re in a good place right now, we’re all together again, that’s what we should focus on.”

Youngho nods his head in agreement, smiling gently as he finally looks over at the younger wolf, “you’re right, we shouldn’t worry about the past. Who taught you to be so smart, hm?”

Minhyung laughs softly, looking back at his father with a grin, “i had a pretty great father,” he says, smile widening when one of Youngho’s arms wrap around his shoulder, and the older wolf presses his lips against the side of Minhyung’s head.

“You did, didn’t you?” Youngho says against the side of his head, obviously grinning into his son’s hair.

It’s a peaceful silence between them, both soaking it in since they normally can’t have heart to heart talks like this with each other as much as they’d like to. Minhyung certainly enjoys having this time with his father even if he knows that it’s limited.

“Still though, in just a little more than one year, you’ll be crowned king,” Youngho mutters after a while, and Minhyung bites the inside of his cheek a bit at the thought, “it’s nerve wracking just thinking about it, isn’t it?”

“Very… i mean… just five years ago, the thought of becoming king made me sick to my stomach for an entirely different reason…” Minhyung says, and his father’s arm shifts on his shoulders slightly when the older wolf turns to look at him.

“Why’s that?”

“I thought i had gotten you killed…” Minhyung replies easily. The memories still hurt, but Minhyung is able to talk about them quite smoothly for some reason, “Kun had-” he pauses when he feels Youngho flinch at the name, “he had said things.. Like how.. No one would want someone who killed the king to be on the throne, or as a son.”

“I’m really sorry you had to deal with him, Min,” Youngho says gently, and Minhyung shakes his head.

“You had no idea he was gonna do any of what he did. Besides.. It’s over now, he’s gone, the jaguars are gone,” Minhyung looks back at the older wolf, “all we need to worry about now is our mates and our people.”

“That is true,” Youngho says, before the door behind them is pushed open, and they turn to see Doyoung with his kits in each arm, not expecting a five year old cub to push past his legs once he does.

“Jaemin, you aren’t allowed up here,” Doyoung says, exasperated, watching as the cub latches onto Minhyung’s leg, before he looks up at Youngho and Minhyung, “i’m really sorry about this, i didn’t know he was behind me.”

“It’s fine, Doyoung,” Minhyung says, ruffling up the cub’s fluffy brown hair as he does, “was there something you wanted to tell us?”

“Right, yes, um, Taeil wanted to speak with you, Youngho, he didn’t say if it was urgent or not though,” Doyoung says, and Youngho nods.

“I’ll be down in a moment then, Doyung,” Youngho says and Doyoung bows, before he looks back down at the cub who is pulling on Minhyung’s shirt.

“Up, up,” Jaemin says shyly, and Minhyung smiles softly at the cub before lifting him up and setting him on his hip, chuckling when the cub latches his arms around his neck.

“I’ll take him downstairs to Jaehyun, Doyoung, don’t worry, go focus on your kids okay?” Minhyung says, and Doyoung seems a bit hesitant, before he nods and leaves, the two children in his arms giggling as they tug on their mother’s long ears.

“How does he cling to you so much?” Youngho asks, referring to Jaemin as they begin making their way off the balcony.

“I don’t know, maybe it’s that little bit of wolf he has in him?” Minhyung shrugs as Jaemin messes with the collar of his button up absentmindedly.

“Wolves aren’t clingy creatures but alright,” Youngho says, though he has a fond smile on his face as he watches Minhyung run his hand through the cub’s hair, “when are you and Donghyuck gonna have a pup of your own, hm? I know Taeyong is excited for it.”

Minhyung hums softly as Jaemin lays his head down on his shoulder, “don’t know yet, honestly. I think Hyuck still wants to wait and let this little bug get a bit bigger.”

“Whenever you two do decide to have a kid, me and your mom will be the first to congratulate the two of you,” Youngho says, smiling at his son who only returns the grin.

“Thanks dad,” Minhyung replies gently.

***

Maybe having a pup would happen sooner than later.

Not even three weeks after speaking with his father about it, Minhyung finds himself seated on the bed, face to face with the small bump of Donghyuck’s stomach.

He feels his heart pound in his chest as he raises his hand up to rest on the omega’s stomach, and he lets out a soft breath of air that was supposed to be a laugh as he covers his mouth with his free hand.

Donghyuck giggles slightly at the reaction, his eyes watering slightly when Minhyung’s own eyes do, and he smiles fondly, “you’re gonna be a father, Minnie,” he says, voice wet with tears.

Minhyung looks up at him, smiling so widely, Donghyuck fears he may lose his place as the palace’s sun with how bright the alpha’s grin was.

Minhyung stands up, leaning in to kiss Donghyuck, overwhelmed with how happy he was,”i-i can’t believe it,” he says between kisses and Donghyuck laughs slightly as he does, “we’re gonna have a pup,” another kiss, “we’re gonna have our own little family, i can’t believe it,” Minhyung is already a mess of happy tears.

“Geez, I never knew how much of a crybaby you were,” Donghyuck teases, and Minhyung playfully scoffs slightly.

“Please you probably love me more when i’m like this then when i’m doing anything else.”

“Maybe,” Donghyuck says, cupping Minhyung’s face in his hands and pressing a light kiss to his nose, “or maybe i just love seeing you when you’re happy.”

Minhyung smiles slightly through watery eyes - he’s still overwhelmed, don’t judge him - as he presses another kiss against Donghyuck’s lips once more, “happy me is best, isn’t it?”

“The best,” Donghyuck repeats, leaning his forehead against Minhyung’s, “now if i remember correctly, i think you’re mother told me to bring you downstairs once i told you the news.”

“Oh god, he’s probably already a mess if he knows about it,” Minhyung laughs, using his sleeve to wipe at his face.

“You have no idea, maybe that’s where you got this from,” Donghyuck giggles as he watchesMinhyung dry his face.

“Probably,” Minhyung says, still grinning broadly as Donghyuck leads him downstairs.

***

If you told little Minhyung that he would be mated to his best friend at the age of 23 and have a child with said best friend at 26 only a few months after being crowned king, he wouldn’t believe you.

But here he is, sitting on the edge of the bed beside Donghyuck who carried a small bundle of joy in his arms.

Minhyung was definitely a crying mess again, anyone who entered their room could see it. His face was all red and blotchy and he couldn’t carry his son for no longer than five minutes without bursting out with tears of happiness.

Taeyong wasn’t any better either, and Donghyuck can definitely see where Minhyung got his emotional state from.

Youngho was the calmer one of the three, and he was able to carry his grandson a bit longer than his son could.

He planned on making fun of Minhyung for it later on.

“Minhyung, you need to calm down if you wanna actually hold your kid,” Youngho jokes, and Minhyung is too busy wiping his eyes against the fabric of his mother’s dress to look at him.

“Leave me alone, you can’t tell me you weren’t like this when i was born,” Minhyung says, voice shaking from tears.

Youngho tilts his head slightly, smirking amusedly, “but I wasn't.”

“Ouch,” Minhyung pouts slightly up at his father, watching as the older wolf cradled his son in his arms.

“Oh hush, you’re mother did enough crying for both of us, besides you know i don’t cry Minhyung,” Youngho says proudly, looking back at the pup in his arms.

“Don’t go lying about such things Youngho,” Taeyong says, more calm than Minhyung was, “you were the one who cried into my nightgown just a few nights ago about how Minhyung is a grown man now.”

Youngho feels his cheeks heat up slightly and Minhyung and Donghyuck laugh slightly when Youngho avoids looking at them.

“Is that true, dad?” Minhyung asks, pulling away from Taeyong’s chest as he does to wipe his eyes.

“Uhh, you know, you two deserve some privacy, so we’ll just go now,” Youngho says, as he hands the pup back to Donghyuck who giggles at the older wolf.

Minhyung watches as Youngho drags Taeyong out, grinning as his mother playfully hits his father’s arm while laughing.

The door shuts behind them, and Minhyung finally looks back at Donghyuck who has turned to the pup in his arms again.

He moves closer up the bed to be able to peek over the blanket the pup was wrapped in, smiling gently when he sees the pup’s small gray and white spotted ears twitch against his head.

“You’re done crying finally?” Donghyuck teases, and Minhyung rolls his eyes fondly.

“Yes, i am actually,” Minhyung says, moving to run his finger over the small curled fist that poked out of the blanket, “don’t judge me for being emotional.”

“I’m not judging, I dealt with this seven months ago, and have dealt with it since,” Donghyuck says, and Minhyung raises his gaze to look at his mate, only to see probably the most fondest look ever on the omega’s face. “I love seeing you when you’re this happy Minhyung.”

“You’re gonna make me cry /again/, stop looking at me like that,” Minhyung says, and he moves to turn back to the pup in Donghyuck’s arms.

“Like what?” Donghyuck asks innocently.

“Like you’re about five seconds away from smothering me.”

“Maybe I am,” Donghyuck says, and Minhyung rolls his eyes again before looking back at his mate.

“Who would’ve thought you would ever be this clingy,” he teases as Donghyuck pouts slightly, patting the bed beside him.

“You love me being clingy, don’t deny it, your highness,” Donghyuck teases back, and Minhyung lets out an amused huff, before climbing into bed next to the omega, who moves to lay back on his chest at an angle to let them both see the sleeping pup.

“How much do you wanna bet he’s gonna be a crybaby like you?” Donghyuck asks after a moment, and Minhyung laughs slightly into his hair.

“I don’t think so, maybe he’ll be strong like his mother,” Minhyung says, nothing but endearment in his tone.

“Hm, i dunno, his father is definitely stronger than his mother,” Donghyuck starts, “any alpha who cries so much is stronger in my opinion.”

“I don’t know if you’re complimenting me or just trying to win the bet.”

“What do you think i’m doing?” Donghyuck looks back at him with a grin.

“Win the bet?” Minhyung tests and he earns an amused eye roll in return from the omega.

“Fine, don’t accept my compliment then,” Donghyuck says, looking back at the pup instead, and Minhyung chuckles slightly into his hair.

“I was kidding, Hyuckie,” he says, grinning, and he can tell Donghyuck is smiling too, the omega just refuses to let him see.

“Sure, sure,” Donghyuck says, letting his head fall back against Minhyun’s shoulder.

They both fall into a peaceful silence, with Minhyung pressing soft grateful kisses against the side of Donghyuck’s skull and with Donghyuck seemingly falling asleep in his arms.

“I still believe Jisung will grow up to be just like you, Minnie,” Donghyuck says softly, tone slurred slightly as sleep tugged at the back of his eyelids, “he’ll be the best son and future king.”

“I know he will,” Minhyung says softly, and he presses one final kiss to Donghyuck’s temple just as the omega finally allows himself to doze off, “he’ll be just like his mother as well,” Minhyung murmurs into the quiet of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you to whoever read this story through to the end!! i hope it was enjoyable from start to finish even if it was a rollercoaster of emotions for you all <<<<<<3

**Author's Note:**

> hope this was a good introduction to the story! leave any comments and things you want and i'll reply when i get the chance!
> 
> my twitter is @SADISTKVN if you want to see more of my works :))


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